Cholesterol

Cholesterol

Cholesterol is a fatty acid that is naturally found in the brain, nerves, liver, blood and bile and is needed to build cell membranes, insulate nerves, and produce vitamin D, hormones, and bile acid for digestion. It even helps provide antioxidant protection when your vitamin and mineral stores are low. However, cholesterol seems to have got a bad name. In fact, Cholesterol is so crucial, in fact, that each cell is equipped with the means to synthesize its own membrane cholesterol, to regulate the fluidity of those membranes when those membranes get too loose or too stiff.

Cholesterol is also necessary for hormone production.
The steroid hormones, estrogen, progesterone and testosterone are manufactured from cholesterol. In addition, the adrenal corticosteroid hormones that regulate water balance through the kidneys and through cortisone and the anti-inflammatory hormone that controls our stress response, all come from cholesterol.

Normally, the liver makes all the cholesterol your body needs. But sometimes, because of our poor dietary habits and sedentary lifestyle, we produce way too much cholesterol. This can increases the risk of cardiovascular disease, heart attack, and stroke. Also, some people have a genetic disposition to high cholesterol levels.

A cholesterol primer
Cholesterol moves in bloodstream in the form of substances called lipoproteins. Cardiovascular risk can be assessed by measuring total blood cholesterol, as well as the proportions of the different types of lipoproteins in the bloodstream.

Total cholesterol is the most common measure of blood cholesterol and is mentioned in any lipid profile test that you may take at a diagnostic laboratory. Cholesterol is measured in milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL) of blood. A total cholesterol reading of less than 200 mg/dL means a lower risk of heart disease. Everyone should try to attain this benchmark figure. (Although cholesterol is not the only measure of risk of heart disease.) A person with a total cholesterol count of 200-239 is considered to be a borderline high cholesterol person and someone with a total cholesterol count of 240 and over is considered to be a high cholesterol person.

However, it is important to note that there is such a thing as 'good cholesterol' and it is called HDL. HDL or the 'good' cholesterol, helps carry cholesterol out of the body, this includes the dreaded cholesterol deposited on the inside of blood vessels, where it can block the flow of blood. If there is too much cholesterol for the HDLs to pick up, or there is an inadequate supply of HDLs, cholesterol may aggregate into plaque groups that block arteries. Those blockages are the main cause of heart attacks. So remember that with cholesterol, higher can sometimes mean healthier.

A total cholesterol count of less than 40 is low, and a count of 60 or greater is considered a 'negative' risk factor.

There's also another type of cholesterol called LDL. This is considered the 'bad' cholesterol. It is known to haul the cholesterol from the liver to all cells in the body. With LDL, remember that lower is healthier. With LDL, less than 100 is optimal; 100-129 is near or above optimal; 130-159 is borderline high; 160-189 is high; 190 or more is very high.

As a 'Rule of thumb' you would want to raise your HDL and lower your LDL.

Triglycerides make up most of the body's fat, and are the storehouse for energy. Edible oils from seeds, egg-yolk and animal fats also are composed mainly of triglycerides. Though these may not be as corrosive as LDL, excess triglycerides exacerbate heart disease potential because they can oxidize and thereby damage the linings of the arteries or induce blood cells to clump and form a blood clot.

With triglycerides, a reading of fewer than 100 is optimal, Under 200 is normal, 200-400 is borderline high, and Over 400 is high. When high triglycerides and low HDL occur together, there is higher risk of cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure, heart and kidney failure, and other degenerative diseases.

In fact, another up-and-coming index of heart disease risk is your triglyceride-to-HDL ratio. A ratio of less than 2 is considered good.

The best ways to lower your triglyceride levels are:

To reduce your intake of carbohydrates, especially sugar and starch foods and

To eat a high-quality fish oil products.