High Cholesterol On Keto: What Does It Mean
One of the biggest areas of misinformation about the ketogenic diet deals with cardiovascular health and cholesterol. So, whats the deal with cholesterol? How does keto impact cholesterol and what should you do if you have high cholesterol on keto? In order to answer these questions, first, you just understand what cholesterol is and what purpose it serves.
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What Are The Different Types Of Cholesterol
There are two main categories of cholesterol in the blood:
Low-density lipoprotein : Considered cholesterol’s “bad” form, LDL enables cholesterol to create deposits that build up and harden on the walls of blood vessels a condition called atherosclerosis .
When this happens in the coronary arteries , it reduces your heart’s supply of oxygen-rich blood. This serious condition, called coronary artery disease, can cause heart attacks and even death.
Plaques can also form on the arteries that supply blood to your brain, abdomen, arms, and legs, leading to a higher risk of stroke, intestinal damage, and peripheral arterial disease.
High-density lipoprotein : HDL is the “good” kind of cholesterol, because it helps reduce LDL levels.
The role of HDL is to transport LDL cholesterol to your liver, which removes it from your blood.
Other Conditions And Medications Associated With High Hdl
High HDL is also linked to other conditions, including:
- thyroid disorders
- inflammatory diseases
- alcohol consumption
Sometimes cholesterol-controlling medications can also raise HDL levels. These are usually taken to lower LDL, triglyceride, and total cholesterol levels. Medication types that have been linked to increased HDL levels include:
- bile acid sequestrants, which decrease fat absorption from the foods you eat
- cholesterol absorption inhibitors
- omega-3 fatty acid supplements, which lower triglycerides in the blood, but also increase HDL cholesterol
- statins, which block the liver from creating more cholesterol
Increasing HDL levels is usually a positive side effect in people who have low HDL levels as in most cases, it decreases their risk of developing cardiovascular disease.
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How Can I Reduce My Ldl And Total Cholesterol Levels
Eating a low-fat, heart-healthy diet is a good start. Try not to eat fatty cuts of beef and pork. Eat more chicken, turkey and fish. Drink fatfree milk instead of whole milk. Avoid other high-fat dairy foods like cheese, butter and ice cream. Avoid fried foods. Eat lots of fresh fruits and vegetables.
What Does The Term Total Cholesterol Mean
The term total cholesterol refers to the total amount of the different kinds of cholesterol in your blood. One kind of cholesterol is the LDL cholesterol. Another kind is the HDL cholesterol. LDL stands for low-density lipoprotein. LDL is the bad cholesterol. HDL stands for high-density lipoprotein. HDL is the good cholesterol.
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Can You Get Rid Of Cholesterol Deposits
Researchers are working on ways to eliminate plaque from coronary arteries. One method that has been proposed involves using combinations of medicines in healthy people aged 25 to 55 years. It is suggested that getting the levels of cholesterol down very low will allow arteries to clear up and heal up.
Several researchers believe that the way to reverse heart disease, and to prevent it in the first place, is found in a whole food, plant-based diet. Studies have been done that have shown that limiting nutrition to whole foods that are plant-based have been successful in reducing blood cholesterol and even, in some cases, lessening plaque buildup.
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High Cholesterol And The Eyes: Signs And Symptoms
Johnstone M. Kim, MD, is a board-certified ophthalmologist and a practicing physician at Midwest Retina in Dublin, Ohio.
Your body needs some cholesterol, a type of fat, to function properly. However, having too much cholesterol in your blood can negatively affect your health.
Your doctor can test your blood to find out what your cholesterol levels are, but you might also have signs or symptomssome of which may affect your eyes.
Here is what you should know about the signs and symptoms of high cholesterol that might show up in and around your eyes, and when you should see a doctor for them.
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What Are Normal Levels Of Cholesterol
Normal levels of cholesterol are different depending on your age and sex. These guidelines show desirable total, non-HDL,LDL and HDL levels by age and sex.
Table 1: Target cholesterol levels by age and sex
| Age and sex |
|---|
cholesterol
cholesterol
People aged 19 years and younger Men aged 20 years and olderWomen aged 20 years and older
The table above spells out the numbers for normal cholesterol levels. The table below shows you cholesterol levels that are higher than normal. High cholesterol numbers vary by age group and sex, and may be different for those who have heart disease. These guidelines represent high cholesterol numbers for those who do not have heart disease.
Table 2: High total, non-HDL and LDL cholesterol levels by age and sex
| Age and sex |
|---|
| People aged 19 years and younger |
Borderline: 170-199 mg/dL
High: Greater than or equal to 200 mg/dL
Borderline: 120-144 mg/dL
High: Greater than or equal to 145 mg/dL
Borderline: 110-129 mg/dL
High: Greater than or equal to 130 mg/dL
High: Greater than or equal to 239 mg/dL
Near optimal or above optimal: 100-129 mg/dL
Borderline high: 130-159 mg/dL
Very high: Greater than 189 mg/dL
High: Greater than or equal to 239 mg/dL
Near optimal or above optimal: 100-129 mg/dL
Borderline high: 130-159 mg/dL
Very high: Greater than 189 mg/dL
LDL cholesterol levels
If you do not have heart disease or blood vessel disease, and you are not at high risk for developing heart disease, the optimal number is less than 100 mg/dL.
Triglycerides
Why Is Cholesterol Important To Our Bodies
Every cell in the body needs cholesterol, which helps the cell membranes form the layers. These layers protect the contents of the cell by acting as the gatekeeper to what things can enter or leave the cell. It is made by the liver and is also used by the liver to make bile, which helps you digest foods. Cholesterol is also needed to make certain hormones and to produce vitamin D. Your liver makes enough cholesterol to meet your bodys needs for these important functions.
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How To Decrease Your Cholesterol Levels
In most people, high HDL is not harmful, so it doesnt necessarily require treatment. The action plan depends largely on how high your levels are, as well as your overall medical history. Your doctor can help determine whether you need to actively lower HDL levels or not.
Your overall cholesterol levels may be decreased by:
- not smoking
- drinking alcohol in moderate amounts only
- getting moderate exercise
- reducing saturated fats in your diet
- managing underlying health conditions, such as thyroid diseases
The American Heart Association recommends that everyone over the age of 20 gets a cholesterol test every four to six years. You may need to test more frequently if you have risk factors for high cholesterol, such as family history.
More research is needed to further understand how high HDL can be harmful in certain people. If you have a personal or family history of either high cholesterol levels or C-reactive proteins, talk to your doctor about steps you can take to regularly monitor your HDL levels.
Diagnosis Of High Cholesterol
In most cases, your doctor will find your high cholesterol through routine screening. A lipid panel usually measures total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, and HDL cholesterol.
Your doctor may order other tests to help decide whether medicines are needed to lower your risk of heart and blood vessel diseases. These may include a coronary calcium scan, which uses computed tomography to detect calcium deposits in the arteries of your heart, and blood tests for levels of C-reactive protein and lipoprotein-a.
The American Heart Association recommends routine cholesterol screening for all adults after age 20, but your doctor may order lipid tests more often based on your individual and family risk.
Your doctor will ask about your eating habits, physical activity, family history, medicines you are taking, and risk factors for heart or blood vessel diseases. During your physical exam, your doctor will check for signs of very high blood cholesterol, such as xanthomas, or signs of other health conditions that can cause high blood cholesterol.
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How Can We Combat High Cholesterol
The good news is that there are several ways to lower high cholesterol:
Diet. Eating the following foods, rich in soluble fiber, will help you combat high cholesterol:
- Oats/oat-based cereals
- Whole grain breads and barley
- Beans
- Apples, grapes and strawberries
- Citrus fruits
Plus, eating fish rich in Omega-3 fats such as salmon or mackerel two or three times a week can help fight high cholesterol and protect the heart. You can also snack on foods with good fats, such as avocados and nuts.
Exercise. Get plenty of exercise to stay within your target weight range, which will reduce your risk for diabetes and obesity.
Stop Smoking. If you dont smoke, dont start and if you do smoke, quit.
Medicines. If lifestyle changes have been made and your cholesterol levels are still worrisome, speak to a professional about medications that may help.
Symptoms Of High Cholesterol
Often, there are no specific symptoms of high cholesterol. You could have high cholesterol and not know it.
If you have high cholesterol, your body may store the extra cholesterol in your arteries. These are blood vessels that carry blood from your heart to the rest of your body. A buildup of cholesterol in your arteries is known as plaque. Over time, plaque can become hard and make your arteries narrow. Large deposits of plaque can completely block an artery. Cholesterol plaques can also break apart, leading to formation of a blood clot that blocks the flow of blood.
A blocked artery to the heart can cause a heart attack. A blocked artery to your brain can cause a stroke.
Many people dont discover that they have high cholesterol until they suffer one of these life-threatening events. Some people find out through routine check-ups that include blood tests.
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How Does High Cholesterol Affect Our Health
Its important to reduce high cholesterol because of the risk for serious health issues if left untreated. These are a few of the complications that can result from high cholesterol:
Carotid artery disease is the buildup of plaque inside the carotid arteries . This can cause severe chest pains and lead to a stroke.
Strokes, which happen when a blockage occurs that prevents oxygen-rich blood from getting to a portion of the brain, can cause paralysis, brain damage or even result in death.
Heart attacks, which stop the blood flow to part of your heart, can cause dizziness, pain and fatigue, and if not treated in time, can also result in death.
What Does Hdl Cholesterol Do
HDL clears from the body via the liver. HDL may therefore prevent the buildup of plaque, protect your arteries, and protect you from atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. It is considered the good cholesterol, and higher levels are better. A good goal to aim for is higher than 55 mg/dL for women and 45 mg/dL for men. The higher your HDL cholesterol numbers, the lower your risk is for heart disease, vascular disease, and stroke.
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Why Does It Matter
You might be asking yourself, why does it matter what causes heart disease? Is it that important to know whether its bad LDL cholesterol or something else?
The reason we believe this is so important is because understanding the cause of a disease is the first step to preventing it. If you know the risk factors, youre likely to change the actions you do every day to lower your risk. However, if we get these risk factors wrong, we might actually be doing more harm than good.
So, whats the answer? Should we be worried about eating foods with saturated fat? Should everyone be taking drugs to reduce cholesterol levels?
Or is there a better way?
Our current view is that high levels of bad LDL cholesterol in the blood are not the main cause of heart disease. Instead, we believe theres another hypothesis that provides a good explanation for all the known risk factors for heart disease.
But before we get into this, lets understand a bit more about heart disease and the current widely held hypotheses.
Key points:
- Its important to know whether LDL cholesterol causes heart disease because understanding the cause of a disease is the first step to preventing it.
- Currently, the evidence suggesting LDL cholesterol is to blame for heart disease seems weak.
What Are Early Signs Of Fh
When you have FH, early detection of high cholesterol levels is key to getting the treatment that can lower your risk of cardiovascular disease. In addition to family history of early cardiovascular problems, you may also notice lumps forming under your skin.
These fatty deposits are called xanthomas, and are particularly noticeable around tendons in the hands, knees, Achilles tendons and elbows, and under the skin around your eyes. Sometimes an ophthalmologist may spot signs of cholesterol deposits in your eyes as well.
Whether or not you have obvious signs of high cholesterol, you should get checked if heart disease runs in your family. Talk to your family doctor about your concerns a simple blood test is all it takes to see if your cholesterol levels are in the healthy range. A high cholesterol level at a young age is a particular red flag that you may have FH. If your doctor suspects you have the condition, you can undergo genetic testing to confirm the diagnosis.
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Who Is Most At Risk For Fh
Familial hypercholesterolemia can affect anyone whose family carries the genetic mutation. However, its found more frequently in those who are of French Canadian, Ashkenazi Jewish, Lebanese or Afrikaner descent. The biggest problem with FH is that more than 90% of people who have it havent been diagnosed, which means you should pay careful attention to your family history,
Seth Martin, M.D., M.H.S., associate professor of medicine at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and director of the Advanced Lipid Disorders Center.
If people in your family have had heart attacks, needed stents or had bypass surgery earlier in life before age 55 in men and before 65 in women those are signals that theres something causing your family to be at higher risk for heart disease, he explains. It could be familial hypercholesterolemia.
Heredity Can Play A Role
Some people inherit genes from their mother, father or even grandparents that cause them to have too much cholesterol. This is called familial hypercholesterolemia . The severity of FH is related to the duration and degree of LDL cholesterol in the blood. FH is dangerous because it can cause premature atherosclerotic heart disease.
If you have a family history of FH or problems related to high cholesterol, get your levels checked.
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What Are Ldl And Hdl
LDL and HDL are two types of lipoproteins. They are a combination of fat and protein. The lipids need to be attached to the proteins so they can move through the blood. LDL and HDL have different purposes:
- LDL stands for low-density lipoproteins. It is sometimes called the “bad” cholesterol because a high LDL level leads to a buildup of cholesterol in your arteries.
- HDL stands for high-density lipoproteins. It is sometimes called the “good” cholesterol because it carries cholesterol from other parts of your body back to your liver. Your liver then removes the cholesterol from your body.
Natural Remedies And Lowering Cholesterol
Its very important to talk to your health professional before using any:
- supplements
- natural remedies
- or complementary therapies.
Sometimes they can do more harm than good. They may interact with any medication that youre taking, which can be dangerous. They can also make your medication less effective. Your doctor needs to know everything that you are taking to ensure that the combination is safe.
If youve been prescribed cholesterol-lowering medication, make sure you take it as directed by your doctor. This is one of the most effective ways to keep your cholesterol levels down.
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Reasons You Might Have High Cholesterol
If youve ever had a blood test, its highly likely your doctor has checked your cholesterol level. Although I believe cholesterol is over rated, it is useful to know your blood level of this fat.
Cholesterol is a very important substance in your body. In fact, every cell of your body requires cholesterol to survive. Elevated cholesterol can be a risk factor for heart disease, but it is only one of many risk factors. Rather than rushing to take a drug or natural substance that lowers cholesterol, why not consider why your cholesterol is elevated in the first place?
Does Gallstones Mean You Have High Cholesterol
4.8/5Can high cholesterolyouhave gallstonesof gallstones arehighof cholesteroland isandandanswer here
Objective: Gallbladder stones are common in the Western world, and 70% to 80% of gallstones are cholesterol stones. Results: High serum cholesterol and LDL levels were associated with high cholesterol stone rates .
Similarly, do you pass gallstones? Passing GallstonesThe good news is you can pass small gallstones. McKenzie says some small gallstones leave your gallbladder and pass into your bile ducts. The stones that don’t get stuck move into the small bowel and are passed in your stool. However, the stones that get stuck are the ones that cause problems.
Thereof, what is cholesterol crystals in gallbladder?
Gallstones are supersaturated, pebble-like deposits of bile inside the gallbladder. There are two types of gallstonescholesterol stones, which account for 80 percent of gallstones, and pigment stones, which are composed of bilirubin, a chemical found in bile, according to the National Institutes of Health.
What is the main cause of gallstones?
Gallstones occur when bile forms solid particles in the gallbladder. The stones form when the amount of cholesterol or bilirubin in the bile is high. Other substances in the bile may promote the formation of stones.
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