Why High Cholesterol Matters
High cholesterol puts you at risk for heart disease and stroke, leading causes of death in the U.S. High levels of LDL cholesterol can contribute to plaque buildup on the walls of the arteries, narrowing the arteries and restricting blood flow. If some of this plaque breaks off and gets stuck in a narrowed artery, it can block the artery and cut off blood supply to the heart or brain, resulting in heart attack or stroke.
How Is High Cholesterol Diagnosed
You cant tell if you have high cholesterol without having it checked. A simple blood test will reveal your cholesterol level.
Men 35 years of age and older and women 45 years of age and older should have their cholesterol checked. Men and women 20 years of age and older who have;risk factors for heart disease;should have their cholesterol checked. Teens may need to be checked if they are taking certain medicines or have a strong family history of high cholesterol. Ask your doctor how often you should have your cholesterol checked.
Risk factors for heart disease include:
- Cigarette smoking.
- Having an immediate family member who has had heart disease.
- Being overweight or obese.
- Inactivity.
Eat More Plant Sources Of Protein
Excellent plant proteins include beans all beans, like lentils, red beans, pinto beans, and soybeans. Rather than raising blood cholesterol levels, as animal sources of protein do, beans actually help lower cholesterol.
Beans also help reduce blood sugar and insulin levels, and may even lower cancer risk.
Recommended Reading: Is Tuna Good For High Cholesterol
What Is High Cholesterol
Cholesterol is a lipid, or type of fat. It helps the body perform many normal functions. Cholesterol is made in the liver and carries fats in the bloodstream.
In the body, cholesterol forms fat-protein chemicals called lipoproteins. Lipoproteins are grouped as very low-density lipoproteins , low-density lipoproteins , also known as bad cholesterol, and high-density lipoproteins . HDLs, good cholesterol, help remove lipids from the bloodstream, so higher HDL levels are better.
VLDLs and LDLs can clog arteries. High levels of cholesterol, LDLs, and triglycerides increase the risk for hardening of the arteries and heart disease.
Health Effects Of High Vldl
1) Fatty Liver Disease
High VLDL levels can cause non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. Fat may build up in the liver when it is unable to move all the VLDL cholesterol to the blood. Reducing VLDL levels may reduce fat build-up fat in the liver, which may improve symptoms of fatty liver syndrome and diabetes .
A study of 128 patients with fatty liver disease showed that the larger the VLDL particles a patient had, the more severe the disease was. Larger VLDL molecules can carry more fat than smaller ones. Another study of 25 obese people also showed that those with fat in their liver had increased production of VLDL .
However, fatty liver disease can eventually cause liver damage that prevents the liver from producing VLDL, so VLDL-C levels may be lower in people with long-term fatty liver disease .
2) Clogged Arteries and Heart Disease
A study of over 30k people showed that those with high levels of VLDL-C were 2-3 times more likely to develop heart disease .
When VLDL is broken down by the body, it is turned into byproducts that also contribute directly to the blocking of arteries. In addition, larger molecules of VLDL carry more fat that is then more likely to become stuck to the walls of the blood vessels. Therefore, lowering the size and levels of VLDL may protect against this effect .
3) Type-2 Diabetes
4) High Blood Pressure
VLDL stimulates the production ofaldosterone, a hormone that causes the body to hold on to salt, leading to increased blood pressure .
Don’t Miss: Egg Beaters Unhealthy
How To Check Your Cholesterol
A cholesterol test will usually measure your LDL cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, total cholesterol, and triglyceride levels sometimes called a lipid test. This can either be done through your GP or with a private home blood test.;
VLDL is difficult to measure directly. A lab will usually use your triglyceride levels to estimate your VLDL levels usually about of your triglyceride level.
By understanding which types of cholesterol are out of range, you can focus on lifestyle factors that can improve each type specifically.
How To Get Tested
Your doctor or another health professional may order a test that includes your VLDL cholesterol level. There is no direct way to measure VLDL cholesterol, so it is usually calculated based on triglyceride levels. The test is done by drawing a sample of blood at a doctors office or other medical facility such as a medical clinic, laboratory, or hospital. The sample is then sent to a laboratory to be analyzed.
Recommended Reading: Is Bone Marrow High In Cholesterol
How Is High Cholesterol Treated
There are several ways to lower high blood cholesterol , including lifestyle changes or medication, or both. Your healthcare provider will work with you to determine which therapy is best for you.
Lifestyle modifications
Healthcare providers like to start with the least invasive treatments when possible, such as lifestyle changes. Youll be advised to:
- Avoid tobacco. If you do smoke, quit. Smoking is bad for you in many ways, and reducing your level of good cholesterol is one of them.
- Change the way you eat. Limit the amount of trans fats and saturated fat. Eat heart-healthy foods like fruits, vegetables, poultry, fish and whole grains. Limit red meat, sugary products and dairy products made with whole milk.
- Get more exercise. Try to get about 150 minutes of physical activity every week, or about 30 minutes per day for most days of the week.
- Keep a healthy weight. If you need to lose weight, talk to your healthcare provider about safe ways to do this. Youll see results even before you reach your ideal weight. Losing even 10% of your body weight makes a difference in your cholesterol levels.
- Reduce the effect of negative emotions. Learn healthy ways to deal with anger, stress or other negative emotions.
- Control blood sugar and blood pressure. Make sure you follow your healthcare providers instructions for blood sugar levels, especially if you have diabetes, and for keeping blood pressure in the healthy range.
Medications
- Atorvastatin .
- Simvastatin .
- Pitavastatin .
Are Home Cholesterol Testing Kits Accurate
The answer is yes if the tests are labeled CDC-certified. This means that the contents have been approved by the Cholesterol Reference Method Laboratory Network, a group that works with test makers, laboratories and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to make sure tests are accurate.
For home tests, you will still need to fast for 12 hours and to obtain blood for testing. Some kits come with packages for mailing to a lab for results. Other kits have a monitor so you can get the results at home. The cost of such home kits vary.
Recommended Reading: Are Pork Chops Heart Healthy
Certain Foods Help To Modulate Lipid Profile
At the same time, there are products in the diet that can positively modulate the lipid profile. These foods manage to increase the proportion of HDL cholesterol and reduce that of LDL and VLDL, consequently.
Mono and polyunsaturated fatty acids fulfill this function, which we can find in vegetable oils, oily fish, and nuts, among others.
Other nutrients, such as fiber, are also capable of affecting cholesterol levels. Experts have even associated them with a reduction in cardiovascular risk. One of the hypotheses that exist to support this claim is their ability to positively influence the reduction of VLDL lipoprotein oxidation.
Try Having One Vegetarian Meal Every Week
Dont let the word vegetarian scare you. By choosing a smartly prepared vegetarian meal, youre hitting multiple cholesterol-lowering goals at the same time, like eating healthier fats and getting more soluble fiber. Plus, many vegetarian meals are just as flavorful and filling as their meaty cousins.
Heres one idea for a low-cholesterol recipe: Try a freshly prepared salad with a sesame vinaigrette and some grilled, spiced tofu. For dessert, add some fresh blueberries, strawberries and oats to low-fat vanilla yogurt.
The key here is to build up a routine, like making every Tuesday night vegetarian night. Once that becomes the norm, try expanding to different nights, or add a weekly vegetarian lunch, too. You can also be flexitarian by just eating smaller portions of meat. Over time, these modifications can really add up and pay off.
Read Also: Is Milk Chocolate Bad For Cholesterol
What Does Hdl Cholesterol Do
HDL cholesterol is often called good cholesterol. This is because HDL helps to return LDL cholesterol from your arteries to your liver, where it can be removed from your body.;
This process stops plaque from building up on the walls of your arteries helping lower your risk of heart disease. If your HDL levels are too low, it can actually increase your risk.
Is Vldl Cholesterol Harmful
10 September, 2021
VLDL cholesterol consists of very low-density lipoproteins that can be harmful to health. Its present in small proportion to total cholesterol, as it constitutes a fraction of LDL cholesterol.
Experts dont currently classify an increase in the concentration of these lipoproteins as dangerous. However, they do consider their oxidation rate to be a concern. For this reason, its crucial to implement a series of strategies aimed at modulating the lipid profile and reducing the rate of oxidation of this lipoprotein.
Recommended Reading: Potatoes And High Cholesterol
Focus On Monounsaturated Fats
As opposed to saturated fats, unsaturated fats have at least one double chemical bond that changes the way they are used in the body. Monounsaturated fats have only one double bond.
Although some recommend a low-fat diet for weight loss, a study of 10 men found a 6-week, low-fat diet reduced levels of harmful LDL, but also reduced beneficial HDL .
In contrast, a diet high in monounsaturated fats reduced harmful LDL, but also protected higher levels of healthy HDL.
A study of 24 adults with high blood cholesterol came to the same conclusion, where eating a diet high in monounsaturated fat increased beneficial HDL by 12%, compared to a diet low in saturated fat .
Monounsaturated fats may also reduce the oxidation of lipoproteins, which contributes to clogged arteries. A study of 26 people found that replacing polyunsaturated fats with monounsaturated fats in the diet reduced the oxidation of fats and cholesterol (
You can find olive oil and canola oil online.
summary
Monounsaturated fats like those in olive oil, canola oil, tree nuts and avocados reduce the bad LDL, increase the good HDL and reduce the oxidation that contributes to clogged arteries.
Natural Ways To Lower Your Cholesterol Levels
We include products we think are useful for our readers. If you buy through links on this page, we may earn a small commission. Heres our process.
Cholesterol is made in your liver and has many important functions. For example, it helps keep the walls of your cells flexible and is needed to make several hormones.
However, like anything in the body, too much cholesterol or cholesterol in the wrong places creates problems.
Like fat, cholesterol does not dissolve in water. Instead, its transport in the body depends on molecules called lipoproteins, which carry cholesterol, fat and fat-soluble vitamins in the blood.
Different kinds of lipoproteins have different effects on health. For example, high levels of low-density lipoprotein result in cholesterol deposits in blood vessel walls, which can lead to clogged arteries, strokes, heart attacks and kidney failure .
In contrast, high-density lipoprotein helps carry cholesterol away from vessel walls and helps prevent these diseases .
This article will review 10 natural ways to increase the good HDL cholesterol and lower the bad LDL cholesterol.
You May Like: Are Baked Potatoes High In Cholesterol
Vldl Cholesterol: Risks Healthy Levels Treatment Etc
VLDL cholesterol stands for very low density lipoprotein cholesterol. It is a type of low density lipoprotein , which people sometimes refer to as “bad” cholesterol.
The body needs VLDL to function properly. However, too much can increase the risk of developing other health problems, including heart disease.
This article will explain what VLDL is, what it does, and how to maintain it. levels within a healthy range.
Cholesterol is a fatty, waxy substance that the body needs to keep cells and organs warm. liver makes all the cholesterol the body needs. However, this is also found in many foods, including:
There are two main types of cholesterol: low density lipoproteins and high density lipoproteins . People often refer to LDL as bad cholesterol and HDL as good cholesterol.
LDL carries cholesterol and fat to cells in the body. HDL carries excess cholesterol to the liver for elimination from the body, but little can be done of it.
How Is Vldl Tested
VLDL is not usually included as part of a routine screen for cholesterol, called a lipid panel. Thats partly because its not as easy to measure VLDL as it is to assess the other components of the cholesterol test, such as LDL, HDL, and triglycerides. But in some cases, your doctor might add it to the rest of the tests included in a cholesterol screen.
Recommended Reading: Can Keto Cause High Cholesterol
Cholesterol: What Is It And What Are Healthy Levels
One of the most confusing topics for many people is cholesterol. It is often portrayed as bad for your health, but cholesterol is actually essential for good health. Cholesterol is one of the most important molecules in your body and serves many necessary functions.
This article will explain the importance of cholesterol and how to determine if your levels are healthy. I will also discuss the top 10 factors that affect cholesterol and lipid ratios and ways to improve these numbers.
Replace Bad Fats With Good Fats
First, lets define what bad fats and good fats are. Saturated fats and trans fats are bad fats, while polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats are good fats. Saturated fats and trans fats are associated with high levels of bad cholesterol and contribute to inflammation, weight gain, and insulin resistance. Steer clear of saturated fats, which are primarily found in full-fat dairy products, fatty cuts of meat, and processed foods. Trans fats are found in fried foods, packaged foods, and baked goods.
Swap out these bad fats for healthy fats. Getting adequate amounts of polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats in your diet is crucial for lowering inflammation and boosting good cholesterol levels while decreasing bad;cholesterol levels. Healthy fats are also crucial for promoting brain health, reducing liver inflammation, and supporting healthy immune response. You can find healthy fats in avocado, pecans, walnuts, hemp seeds, pumpkin seeds, almonds, olive oil, and sunflower oil.
Omega-3 fatty acids are particularly effective for improving cholesterol levels. Fatty fish like salmon, mackerel, sardines, anchovies, and tuna are excellent sources of the omega-3 fatty acids eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid . Flaxseeds and chia seeds afford the plant form of omega-3 fatty acids, or alpha-linolenic acid .
Read Also: Can Keto Cause High Cholesterol
Managing And Reducing Vldl Cholesterol Levels
Diposting olehwriter on Minggu, 02 Oktober 2011
Very low density lipoprotein is one of three forms of cholesterol complexes monitored by doctors for medical razloga.Druge complex types of cholesterol low-density lipoprotein and high density lipoprotein . LDL is often called bad cholesterol, and HDL is said to be good cholesterol. Cholesterol is a soft, fatty substance found in every cell of the human body. Cholesterol is important that cells do in everyday life. To get all the cells in the body, is needed for cholesterol to travel through the bloodstream. Since cholesterol is fat, she can not pass through the bloodstream, without assistance, usually in the blood and cholesterol levels to separate the bubbles and oil in water. To solve this problem, the proteins surrounding the cholesterol as it travels through krvotok.Kombinacija protein and cholesterol forms cholesterol kompleksa.Kolesterola in each complex is exactly the same.
Several conditions and factors may cause increased levels of VLDL:
Overeating
How To Increase Hdl Cholesterol
Do some regular high-intensity exerciseExercise is linked to an increase in your HDL cholesterol levels. For this positive effect, you need to do high-intensity exercise lower-intensity exercises, like walking, don’t seem to have the same benefit.
Avoid smokingSmoking cigarettes is linked with lower HDL cholesterol levels, as well as affecting how well it can function. Quitting smoking can lead to quick improvements in your HDL levels.
Recommended listening for you
Recommended Reading: Sweet Potatoes Cholesterol
Cook With Vegetable Oil
Get Regular Sun Exposure
The sun activates cholesterol to form vitamin D. Regular sun exposure may help improve cholesterol levels.
In areas where there is sufficient UVB exposure, there are several factors to consider in determining how much sun exposure is appropriate. These factors include the portion of skin exposed to the sun, the color of your skin, and the strength of the UV rays.
If 60% of the body is exposed to the sun, it is ideal to seek 10,000 to 20,000 IU of vitamin D3 from sun exposure. Intentionally sunbathe no less than 3 times per week according to the following recommendations based on your skin color:
- Light skin = 15-20 minutes daily
- Medium Skin = 25-30 minutes daily
- Dark Skin = 40-45 minutes daily
Read Also: Is Bone Broth Good For High Cholesterol Patients