Do you know Cholesterol is a silent killer?

An optimum level of Cholesterol is desirable for the absorption of the vitamins and normal regulatory processes for cell growth, but exceeding the limit is very dangerous. Let’s understand that how it is a silent killer and why it cannot be neglected?

What is Cholesterol?

Cholesterol is a silent killer. Cholesterol is a waxy, fat-like substance that’s found in all the cells in our body. Our liver is responsible for making cholesterol for the body’s routine activity.

If we take the excess saturated fat, is not absorbed by the liver and the same goes into the blood. The blood becomes thicker and subsequent pressure starts building up in the heart. The fats get deposited in the arteries and that increases the risk of heart attacks.

Why it is necessary to have good cholesterol in our body?

Our body requires some amount of cholesterol to make hormones, Vitamin D, and substances to help digest foods. It helps to absorb Vitamin D in the body. Our body makes the cholesterol it needs. Cholesterol is responsible to build the structure of cell membranes that acts as a bidirectional regulator of membrane fluidity.

It protects the membrane and raises its melting point, whereas, at low temperatures, it works like a catalyst between the phospholipids and prevents them from getting accumulated in a cluster form, and protects them from stiffening.

Cholesterol makes hormones like estrogen, testosterone, and adrenal hormones. It helps your metabolism to work efficiently. It is an essential substance for your body to produce vitamin D and its proper absorption as well. Our body produces cholesterol from the regular diet, but this has a minor effect on blood cholesterol levels.

Cholesterol is a major component of all cell membranes. It is used to cobble together essential molecules such as hormones, fat-soluble vitamins, and bile acids to help you digest your food.

Chemical Composition of Cholesterol

It is an organic molecule named sterol, a type of lipid. Cholesterol is biosynthesized by all animal cells and is an essential structural component of animal cell membranes.

Source>Wikipedia

Formula: C27H46O

IUPAC ID: (3β)-cholest-5-en-3-ol

Molar mass: 386.654 g/mol

Melting point: 148 °C

Boiling point: 360 °C

Soluble in: Ethanol, Acetone, Methanol, Chloroform, Ether, Benzene, Hexane, Isopropyl Myristate

How good and bad cholesterol reacts in our body?

It is widely known that there are mainly two (2) types of cholesterol i.e. Good Cholesterol (HDL) and Bad Cholesterol (LDL).  HDL cholesterol behaves like a Gentleman in a simpler term. It helps lower the LDL and protects the Heart from getting damaged. This friendly forager maintains the flow of the blood in the artery. High HDL levels, reduce the risk for heart disease — but low levels increase the risk.

The LDL (Bad Cholesterol) acts as a notorious element and creates a plaque around the coronary arteries that obstructs the blood flow and makes arteries less flexible. The movement of oxygen-rich red corpuscle in arteries gets obstructed and after some time the situation leads to heart diseases. That’s why we say that Cholesterol is Silent Killer.

How cholesterol increases in your body abruptly?

First of all, it is pertinent that the Liver is the primary part of our body that produces Cholesterol. It has the power to eliminate the excess amount of Cholesterol if attention is given and keep our diet in a balanced way. Factors that are primarily responsible for increase bad cholesterol in your body are as follows;

• Unbalanced Diet – Eating saturated fat, found in animal products, and Trans fats, found in some commercially Baked Cookies, Fried Popcorn, Fried Samosa, and Junk foods can raise your cholesterol level. Foods that are high in cholesterol, such as red meat and full-fat dairy products, will also increase your cholesterol.
• Obesity – If your body mass index (BMI) is 30 plus it puts you at high risk. A healthy weight of a normal human being is 24 BMI or less.
• Lack of workouts- No Workout or Exercise helps boost your body’s LDL, or bad cholesterol, and other elements like triglycerides. With no workouts, the same gets accumulated in our blood that is very dangerous for our health. Those who have a sitting job and have less movement in the workplace and subsequently eat haphazardly surely invites obesity and many diseases.
• Smoking – It is one of the major factors which help in increasing Cholesterol in the body. Cigarette smoking damages the walls of your blood vessels, making them more prone to accumulate fatty deposits. Smoking also lowers the level of HDL, so be careful.
• Aging – As you cross an older age, your body chemistry changes as time pass and you are at high risk. For instance, as you age, your liver becomes less able to remove LDL cholesterol. Because it gets accumulated in the blood that creates hindrances in arteries towards blood circulation.
• Diabetes – High blood sugar contributes to higher levels of dangerous Cholesterol called Very-Low-Density Lipoprotein (VLDL) and lower HDL cholesterol. High blood sugar also damages the lining of your arteries.

Foods to help lower cholesterol

Less oily foods made with olive oil, oatmeal, Fruits like Avocados, bananas, apples, and citrus fruits like Lemon and Oranges can help lower cholesterol. You can break down LDL cholesterol by eating healthy fats and soluble fiber.

How to maintain optimum levels of Cholesterol in the body?

1. Take Green tea twice a day. You can also have Cinnamon, Trikatu mixed with Honey in one cup of water twice a day to lower cholesterol naturally.
2. Cherry juice, Cranberry juice, and Sweet lime juice help reduce Cholesterol levels and maintain cardiovascular health in general.
3. Eat unsaturated fats and eliminate Trans fats from your regular diet. Take foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids like salmon fish etc. Increase soluble fiber in your daily diet and also take whey protein to be healthy and enjoy Cholesterol free health.
4. Eat a low-salt diet that emphasizes fruits, vegetables, and whole grains.
5. Put a limit while having animal fats and use good fats in moderation.
6. Lose extra pounds and maintain a healthy weight.
7. Exercise / Yoga on most days of the week for at least 30 minutes. Brisk walking is very much needed to reduce cholesterol.
8. Drink alcohol in moderation; if possible, please manage stress as it acts as a catalyst in increasing your cholesterol level in the body. If you want to drink alcohol take in a moderate amount or as per the expert’s guideline.

So keep doing regular workouts, take healthy foods, and stay away from stress to live a healthy life! It is a mantra to Say goodbye to Cholesterol!