Cholesterol is something that we all encounter and battle with at one point or the other in our lives. But, first and foremost let us explore what is cholesterol and why do we look to increase one level and decrease the other; what role does it play in your body?
The answers to the above questions and more can be found in the following:
What is Cholesterol and What is a Healthy Cholesterol Level?
Cholesterol is an essential substance that exists in our cells and flows through our blood stream; it has a waxy texture and the good cholesterol or HDL helps build cell membrane as well as various hormones; the bad cholesterol or LDL in high levels will clog the arteries and cause heart attack in due course.
A healthy cholesterol level is of a minimum of 40 mg/dL of HDL and a maximum of 200mg/dL of LDL. Any alteration from these numbers and we need to take immediate action in order to bring it back to a healthy cholesterol level.
What you can do in Order to Maintain a Healthy Cholesterol Level
The first step to take in order to maintain a healthy cholesterol level is to regularly check it; the best way to know your cholesterol levels is through a blood test.
Watch your weight; while cholesterol is not measured by weight, obesity will often come with high levels of bad cholesterol but at the same time it does not mean that someone who is slim or even under weight has good levels of cholesterol.
Bad cholesterol is also found in trans fat and saturated fats as well therefore, read all food labels and ensure you don't consume the same. There are many other types of food, which contain cholesterol, and such as: eggs, milk, butter and poultry. The fact is you cannot remove all the food that contains cholesterol from your diet but you can control the portions.
If you are not sure what to eat when consult your doctor or dietician in order to obtain a custom made diet plan for you, which contains the right amount of cholesterol.
Helpful Tip
Awareness and understanding of your body and the appropriate health will always keep you out of trouble especially if you diagnose a diseases in its early stages, it can always be treated while when its too late you can may end up in an emergency or worse.
