Keeping Bad Cholesterol In Check
Cardio-vascular diseases top the list of major diseases the world over. Medical experts opine that a high cholesterol level in the bloodstream is the single major causative factor in this group of diseases. So what causes high levels of cholesterol in the blood, and what can you do to prevent that from happening to you? Let’s find out.
Cholesterol is not a single substance. It is the generic name for a family of similar substances that are produced in the body. The good cholesterol, abbreviated as HDL, is produced by the body for tissue growth and health. This level is maintained at a healthy level by the body. The bad cholesterol is a by product of body metabolism and must be evacuated or destroyed. This bad cholesterol is abbreviated LDL. You must help the body in maintaining the exact proper level of both these cholesterol components to remain naturally healthy.
There is a general perception that a high level of cholesterol is itself a disease. This is false. But yes, high levels of bad cholesterol increase the risk of some very serious, even life threatening, cardio-vascular diseases. Some of these diseases are: atherosclerosis (which hardens the arteries), heart arrhythmias, strokes, high blood pressure, and heart attacks. We’ll tell you how to control the level of cholesterol in your blood.
The body regulates the level of cholesterol in the blood. As long as this regulation proceeds as required, there is no problem. There are times when this regulation fails. There are two common situations which lead to such failure. One is when we overdose the body with bad cholesterol. How? By eating of course! Oils, fats, animal produce, and some substances like sodium lead to a build up of bad cholesterol in the blood. Keep these villains off your diet and the bad cholesterol will drop back to normal level.
A sedentary lifestyle is equally bad news. Inactivity makes the circulatory system sluggish, and the evacuation of LDL is impaired. So the LDL accumulates to dangerous levels. The American Heart Association has advised a minimum of thirty minutes of exercise every day to keep heart disease at bay. You are free to do it in one spell or to spread it over two, three or more spells. Be regular in exercising. Thirty minutes every day means thirty minutes every day, come rain or shine! Maintain a comfortable exercise regimen. Don’t get carried away and strain yourself. Jogging, going for long walks, cycling, and swimming are favored exercises. Make exercise a part of your schedule. Be moderate, be comfortable, be sensible!
Apart from dietary intake and a sedentary lifestyle, some lifestyle activities can be harmful for you as far as high LDL is concerned. If you smoke, then you’ll do yourself a load of good by stopping that habit. Even secondary smoke is harmful, so avoid places where there’s a lot of cigarette smoke.
There is another factor which can cause high levels of bad cholesterol. The problem is that the body’s regulatory mechanism is not working properly. This is usually a genetic problem and it could be hereditary. The only way out of this situation is medication. Your doctor will do the needful.
The level of cholesterol in your blood can seriously affect your life and lifestyle! Before that happens, it is better that you consciously work your way to a better lifestyle. Watch your diet, exercise regularly, and stop smoking; these are simple ways to get on top of your high cholesterol condition. Medication is always there if the simple methods don’t work. Remember, high cholesterol can lead to life altering and even life threatening cardio-vascular conditions, such as strokes and heart attacks. Your general health goes down, and you can suffer from many other unrelated diseases. Therefore it is in your own best interest to get serious about controlling the level of cholesterol in your blood – for good!
Owning a cholesterol monitor can save you cash by reducing trips to the doctor for a cholesterol test. To discover more ways to reduce cholesterol visit www.reduce-high-cholesterol.com.