We always hear people saying cholesterol is bad for health, it is dangerous, one should get rid of it, it leads to heart attack and so on….Is cholesterol bad? In this article let us know about cholesterol and its effects on our health.
Cholesterol is oil based wax like substance found in lipids. Our liver produces around 80% of cholesterol and the rest we get from the food we eat. We need certain amount of cholesterol to perform several bodily functions like producing hormones, building healthy cells, synthesis of bile acids, producing vitamin D and others.
What are Good Cholesterol and Bad Cholesterol?
There are 2 types of cholesterol like good cholesterol and bad cholesterol.
- Good cholesterol– It is also termed as HDL (high density lipoprotein), it is very beneficial for our health. This type contains high level of protein and low level of cholesterol. This carries extra cholesterol from cells and takes it back to liver where it is further broken down or it is eliminated from our body.
- Bad cholesterol– It is termed as LDL (low density lipoprotein). This is harmful to our health. This carries cholesterol to the cells and excess cholesterol or high LDL leads to cholesterol build up in the arteries and by narrowing the arteries, this increase your risk of heart attack, stroke and others.
Cholesterol Levels
Cholesterol levels play a very crucial role and maintaining healthy levels helps to reduce your risks of heart problems and stroke. Cholesterol levels differs from adults and children
Cholesterol level chart for adults:
| Category | Total cholesterol | HDL Cholesterol | LDL Cholesterol |
| Ideal | Less than 200 mg/dL | More than 40 mg/dL | Less than 200 mg/dL |
| Border line | 200-239 mg/dL | n/a | 130-159 mg/dL |
| High | 240 and above | n/a | 160 mg/dL and above |
| Low | n/a | Less than 40 mg/dL | n/a |
One should always have high HDL and low LDL levels to stay healthy. Cholesterol levels rise with age. Elders are at an increased risk of cholesterol problem compared to children. High cholesterol is also linked to other chronic health issues like diabetes and high BP. It is always recommended to get your cholesterol levels checked for every 4 to 6 years.
How do you maintain cholesterol?
As we all know, age, sedentary lifestyle, high intake of processed foods, family history and several others aggravates your risk of cholesterol problems and one can control and manage cholesterol levels by following few health tips and lifestyle changes. Here are few tips to control your cholesterol levels
- Control your weight and stay physically active, this helps to improve your HDL and reduce your LDL.
- Increase intake of healthy fats like avocado, nuts and others and fibre
- Control intake of trans fat, saturated and dietary fats
- Have whole grains, fresh fruits and vegetables, fish in diet
- Avoid alcohol consumption and also quit smoking.
- Have more omega 3 fatty acid rich foods
- Limit your intake of sugary drinks and beverages, dairy products and also red meat, as they trigger LDL levels.