Rise in Cholesterol level and risk of heart diseases are some due to family history/gender, but mainly due to poor life style and eating habits. Some risk factors for cholesterol can be controlled (diet, exercise, weight) while others cannot (age, gender, and family history).
Age and Gender
From puberty on, men tend to have lower HDL (“good” cholesterol) levels than women. One reason is that the female sex hormone estrogen is associated with higher HDL levels. Because of this, premenopausal women generally have lower rates of heart disease than men. After menopause, as estrogen levels decline, women catch up in their rates of heart disease.
Genetic Factors and Family History
Genetics play a vital role in determining a persons blood cholesterol levels. Genes may influence whether a person has low HDL levels, high LDL levels, high triglycerides, or high levels of other lipoproteins.
However you need to change your diet and lifestyle to lower cholesterol and your risk of heart disease. Even if your doctor prescribed a cholesterol drug to bring levels down, youll still need to change your diet and become more active for cardiovascular health.
Most people eat super-sized meals, with portions that are twice the size recommended for good health or have regular eating habits. That can contribute to weight gain and high cholesterol.
Heres an easy way to practice portion control for a meal: Use your hand. One serving of meat or fish is about what fits in the palm of your hand. One serving of fresh fruit is about the size of your fist. And a serving of cooked vegetables, rice, or pasta should fit in your cupped hand. Not only at home, dont blow it when you eat out. Restaurant food can be loaded with saturated fat, calories, and sodium. Choose broiled, baked, steamed, and grilled foods -- not fried. Here are some tips to lower your cholesterol level quickly, which you have to include in your daily life:
Whole Grains
We need carbohydrates but some are better. Whole grains, such as brown rice, whole-wheat and beans have complex carbohydrates and more fibre and raise sugar levels less. These help lower cholesterol and keep us feeling full longer. They also help reduce LDL "bad" cholesterol and can be an important part of your weight loss strategy. Other examples of whole grains include wild rice, popcorn, brown rice, barley, and whole-wheat flour.
Other carbs, like those found in white bread, white potatoes, white rice, and pastries, boost blood sugar levels more quickly, leading you to feel hungry sooner, and may increase your calorie intake.
Fruits and vegetables
Not to mention, eat plenty of fruits and vegetables -- five to nine servings a day -- to help lower LDL "bad" cholesterol. Antioxidants in these foods may provide the benefit. Or it may be that when we eat more fruits and veggies, we eat less fatty foods. Foods enriched with plant sterols, such as some margarine spreads, yogurts, and other foods, can also help lower LDL cholesterol.
Fishes
Fish is low in saturated fat and high in healthy omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3 fatty acids help lower levels of triglycerides, a type of fat in the blood. They may also help lower cholesterol, slowing the growth of plaque in arteries. Just dont drop the filets in the deep fryer -- youll negate the health benefits.
Nuts for Cardiovascular Health
Nuts are high in monounsaturated fat, which lowers LDL "bad" cholesterol while leaving HDL "good" cholesterol intact. Several studies show that people who eat about an ounce of nuts a day have lower risk of heart disease. Nuts are high in fat and calories, so only eat a handful. And make sure theyre not covered in sugar or chocolate.
We need a little fat in our diet -- about 25% to 35% of our daily calories. But the type of fat matters. Unsaturated fats -- like those found in canola, olive, and mustard oils -- help lower LDL "bad" cholesterol levels and may help raise HDL "good" cholesterol. Saturated fats -- like those found in butter and palm oil -- and Trans fats raise LDL cholesterol. Even good fats have calories, so eat in moderation.
Animal fats are complex mixtures of triglycerides, with lesser amounts of phospholipids and cholesterol. As a consequence, all foods containing animal fat contain cholesterol to varying extents. Major dietary sources of cholesterol include egg yolks, beef, pork, poultry and milk and its products. So to lower the cholesterol levels, avoid animal flesh and use only skimmed milk and product.
Do not underestimate water. If we dont have an adequate amount of water in our bodies each day, organs cannot properly operate (including the kidneys, which remove excess cholesterol) and our body functions are slowed (including the removal of excess cholesterol from arteries).
Since we excrete excess fluids from our body throughout the day, water must be replenished daily, regardless of our water intake the day before, if we want our bodies to function well.
Even 30 minutes of physical activity five days a week can help lower LDL cholesterol and raise HDL cholesterol -- although more exercise is even better. It also helps you maintain an ideal weight, reducing your chance of developing clogged arteries. You dont have to exercise for 30 minutes straight -- you can break it up into 10-minute increments.
Any kind of cardiovascular activity counts -- gardening, dancing, or taking the stairs instead of the elevator. Housework can qualify as exercise -- as long as youre doing serious cleaning that gets your heart rate up and not just light dusting.
Even fast walking can do better. Walking lowers risk of stroke and heart disease, helps you lose weight, and keeps bones strong. If youre just starting out, try a 10-minute walk and gradually build up from there.
Relationship between sleep and high lipid levels follows a U-shaped curve. That is, consistently getting less than six hours of sleep per night may affect your cholesterol and triglyceride levels in the same manner as sleeping more than eight hours every night. This pattern has also been linked to other health conditions, such as type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease and certain respiratory diseases. For women, HDL and triglyceride levels appeared to be more affected by sleep duration than men in some studies.
Quit Smoking
Smoking affects your cholesterol levels by dramatically increasing your bad cholesterol (LDL), and decreasing your good cholesterol (HDL). It also increases the triglyceride (fatty lipids) levels in your blood stream. This is largely due to the chemical properties of the ingredients in most cigarettes, most notably nicotine.
Smoking affects your cholesterol levels by dramatically increasing your bad cholesterol (LDL), and decreasing your good cholesterol (HDL). It also increases the triglyceride (fatty lipids) levels in your blood stream. This is largely due to the chemical properties of the ingredients in most cigarettes, most notably nicotine.
No comments:
Post a Comment