Cholesterol is an organic compound very necessary for the body, most of which is synthesized by the liver, the rest goes into the body with food. It has been proven that about 20% of cholesterol comes into the body with food, and the rest is produced by the liver. The one that gets into the cell for health will not be dangerous, only the one that the cells transform and produce will be harmful. It leaves the cells and accumulates on the vascular walls, settling on them, while their lumen narrows, and blood begins to flow into the vessels much worse, and high cholesterol in the blood is to blame.
Organs are deprived of enough oxygen, this is reflected in their performance. But the worst danger is when blood clots form from cholesterol. Blood clots can completely block an artery and stop supplying blood to a specific organ; as a result, part of it or even the entire organ dies. The most serious danger is posed by blood clots that block access to the artery that supplies blood to the most important organs for a person - the heart, brain and kidneys, and death occurs instantly.
With elevated cholesterol levels, there is a risk of plaque and blood clots in the vessels
What organs does it affect?
In order to find out how cholesterol is reduced in the blood, you need to have an idea of what it affects. Without it, it is impossible to imagine the process of digestion, because it is from this organic compound that bile salts are formed in the liver.
Cholesterol is very important for both male and female hormones. It has a significant effect on the production of hormones such as estrogen, testosterone and progesterone. And if the level of cholesterol in the blood deviates from the norm to the lower side, then this leads to a violation of the reproductive function.
In the adrenal glands, this important element produces cortisol, and the skin simply needs cholesterol for the synthesis of vitamin D. Experts have proven that lowering its rate serves to weaken the immune system.
What should be the norm of cholesterol
Many are interested in what is the norm of cholesterol in the blood? Normally, its content is 5 mmol per liter, but if the indicator is higher, then plaques are already beginning to form. In addition, not only its total blood count is very important, but the content of good and bad cholesterol. If there is more bad, then you need to urgently take action and be interested in how to lower blood cholesterol.
What is good cholesterol
Good cholesterol is called HDL (high-density lipoprotein). They can prevent cardiovascular disease. The rate of cholesterol in the blood in such a protein complex is from 20 to 30 percent, and if the HDL content in the blood is high, then there is practically no risk of a heart attack. This is directly affected by the functions that good cholesterol performs in our body:
- HDL take excess free cholesterol from the cell surface;
- HDL can get cholesterol even from atherosclerotic plaques;
- HDL carries cholesterol back to the liver, where it is processed.
Therefore, such useful substances can be called a kind of "orderlies of the body", because they remove building material.
The normal level of cholesterol in the blood is 5.5 mmol / liter
What is bad cholesterol
Bad cholesterol is LDL (low-density lipoprotein) and it carries cholesterol into the cells, while taking it from the liver. The norm of cholesterol in the blood in this protein complex will be 40-50% of its content, and if the rate is elevated, the risk of developing cardiovascular diseases increases.
The risk is as follows:
- cells have captured too much LDL and simply cannot process it all;
- from unprocessed cholesterol, fatty deposits remained, which were fixed on the vascular walls;
- as a result of deposits, atherosclerotic plaques appeared, they interfere with the normal process of blood circulation. And this leads directly to heart attack, stroke and many other serious diseases.
It is worth noting that bad cholesterol also has a "good job" - it paralyzes the activity of dangerous toxins and this helps to maintain a normal immune system.
Why you need a blood test for cholesterol and what it will show
These two protein compounds - LDL and HDL must be balanced, and if at least one of them is lowered, this leads to the appearance of various ailments. As for what the level of cholesterol in the blood should be, its norm is taken into account from such factors:
- in a normal state, total cholesterol should be below 5.2 mmol / l;
- LDL is normal - below 3-5 mmol / l;
- HDL is normal - above 1.0 mmol / l;
- triglycerides - they are another source of fat in the human body and normally they should be below 2.0 mmol / l.
All these indicators are determined by a blood test for cholesterol and it is desirable that they are not very high or low.
What causes high cholesterol levels
Our body does not produce bad cholesterol and it comes into the body with food, but many people do not pay attention to this and eat whatever they get, while gaining weight due to high-calorie and fatty foods, and ultimately obesity. The liver with great difficulty removes LDL, and it begins to settle on the vascular walls.
Consider other causes of high cholesterol in the blood:
Do you want something interesting?
- lack of movement. Scientists conducted an interesting study in which they proved that regular sports, exercise and an active lifestyle increase good cholesterol and reduce bad. So draw your own conclusions;
- disease. Specific diseases can also lead to an increased rate: kidney disease, type 2 diabetes, polycystic ovary syndrome. Very often, an increased indicator is affected by such a thyroid disease as hypothyroidism, associated with a lack of hormones in the thyroid gland. And if such a pathological condition is treated, the indicators improve much;
- bad habits. Another reason for high blood cholesterol is smoking, it lowers HDL levels and has a bad effect on the heart and blood vessels. Alcohol also leads to this condition, but some experts believe that one or two glasses a day can increase HDL. But for some reason, an increased dose of alcohol does not positively affect the body;
- hereditary factor. Experts are increasingly saying that high cholesterol occurs precisely at the genetic level. This can be said about many diseases;
- menopause. The restructuring of the female body at this time weakens all its protective functions and in some cases this leads to increased deposition of cholesterol;
- pregnancy. Pregnant women also have a high risk of increasing the rate, as the body begins to produce a special substance - progesterone, which is responsible for the deposition of fatty tissues. Therefore, a pregnant woman should carefully monitor her diet so as not to gain excess weight.
Signs of an elevated level
In itself, this condition does not differ in any specific and serious symptoms. Only from the result of a blood test for cholesterol can you find out that it is elevated. Dangerous signs are only in atherosclerosis, and it is this disease that is a consequence of an increased rate.
But there are three symptoms by which you can think about the presence of such a pathology:
- while running or even walking, a person's legs begin to hurt;
- yellow spots appear on the skin;
- in the region of the heart there are compressive or pressing pain sensations, angina pectoris develops.
Cholesterol lowering methods
Now let's try to figure out how to reduce cholesterol in the blood. Medications are prescribed if the increase is very large, in other cases, physical activity, the rejection of all bad habits and the right diet are recommended.
Movement is life
How cholesterol accumulates with age
The best option is to do some kind of sport. But in our busy city life, few can afford it, so not everyone will be able to exercise regularly. But going to the gym or swimming pool, or riding a bike is within the power of every person.
It has been proven that fitness helps burn fat by preventing the deposition of cholesterol plaques. You can practice not only in the club, but also at home, but the classes should be intense, so that, as they say, “sweat rolled in hail”.
Try to walk more - to work and home, shopping and just like that - for walks. It’s good if you walk five kilometers a day, but even if you walk less, the benefit will still be. Moderate physical work in the garden or in the garden is also very useful, especially for the elderly.
Do physical exercises at home. Morning exercises are a great way, and if you do it regularly, then the question of how cholesterol in the blood decreases will not bother you in the future because the indicators will return to normal.
Rejection of all bad habits
You should give up everything that harms the body - smoking and alcohol. And although some experts even recommend drinking a glass of red wine or a spoonful of vodka a day, which, in their opinion, helps to reduce cholesterol, you should still not get carried away with alcohol. Because it's quite a contentious issue.
Peace of mind and proper sleep
If you are interested in how to lower cholesterol in the blood, but are constantly nervous, nothing will help you. Constant stress and emotional overstrain are considered to be the causes of the synthesis of stress hormones, which provoke the synthesis of cholesterol in the liver. Try to smile more, engage in self-hypnosis, and these psychological techniques will help in your question.
Getting at least eight hours of sleep a night is also very important. It is best to sleep from ten o'clock in the evening until six o'clock in the morning.
Medications
Cholesterol-lowering drugs are prescribed by a doctor only if diet and a healthy lifestyle do not work and there is a risk of coronary heart disease or other cardiovascular diseases. Of course, taking such rather expensive drugs can lead to side effects, and the decision to start taking them is discussed with the doctor, taking into account the following nuances:
- triglyceride and cholesterol levels;
- the presence of coronary heart disease;
- the presence of other factors that provoke the appearance of coronary heart disease - genetic disposition, if relatives had heart attacks at a young age;
- lack of positive effect from diet and lifestyle changes.
Medicines for high blood cholesterol include niacin, bile sequestrants, and fibrates. Over the past ten years, the use of drugs from the statin group has made a real revolution in lowering cholesterol. When taking drugs, many patients with vascular and heart diseases noted a significant improvement in their condition.
Therefore, such drugs are prescribed most often and their medicinal properties are as follows:
- they prevent further deposition of LDL in the liver;
- reduce the activity of inflammation in atherosclerotic plaque, while reducing their growth. The plaque stabilizes, its fat content decreases, and the tire increases, and eventually it ceases to actively grow further and decreases in size.
It is worth noting that statins are extracted from mushrooms or made synthetically. The drug is prescribed for taking once a day - in the evening, because it is at this time that increased production of cholesterol occurs. But, unfortunately, these drugs can also adversely affect the functioning of the liver.
ethnoscience
Many people are interested in how blood cholesterol is reduced using various traditional medicine recipes and whether such treatment will help at all. Traditional medicine offers a large number of recipes that can clean the walls of blood vessels and restore their elasticity and youth.
Garlic with olive oil
Grind ten cloves of garlic and pour them with two glasses of olive oil. Leave the mixture to infuse for one week, you will get garlic oil, which you need to add to absolutely any cooked dishes.
Garlic with alcohol
350 g of garlic must be twisted in a meat grinder and not once, but several times. You can grind in another way. Then pour garlic gruel with 200 g of alcohol, and place in a dark place for ten days. This folk medicine should be drunk in 20-30 drops, which are dropped into milk two or three times before meals, until you have drunk all the garlic infusion. But this treatment is often not used, treat with this method once every five years.
Dill seeds, valerian and honey
If you are interested in how cholesterol in the blood is further reduced, then we offer you another interesting method of alternative treatment. You will need to grind two tablespoons of valerian root and a glass of dill seeds. Combine these ingredients and add two cups of honey to them. After thorough mixing, pour the mixture with 2 liters of boiling water and leave to infuse for a couple of days. Now you can move the infusion to the refrigerator and drink it in a tablespoon before meals three times a day.
Dry bean stalks
You already know what level of cholesterol in the blood you need to strive for and lower its level, and ordinary dry bean sashes will help with this. First you need to grind them, then take 2 tbsp. flaps and pour a glass of water in a small saucepan. Put on the stove and boil for three minutes after they boil. Then let it brew for half an hour and filter the broth. Take a decoction of bean leaves, two tablespoons three times a day, the course of treatment is two weeks, then take a break for the same time and repeat the treatment.
Dandelion root
First, dry the root of this plant, then you need to grind it in a coffee grinder. You will have a powder that should be taken half an hour before meals three times a day to the amount of 1/3 teaspoon. Thus, it is recommended to be treated for a whole month, then take a break for the same period and repeat the treatment.
The basic principles of a diet to combat high cholesterol
You have already learned that high cholesterol leads to cardiovascular diseases and atherosclerosis is especially dangerous. Therefore, you need to know what foods to eat that lower cholesterol in the blood, because what you eat gets into your body.
Diet Features
Cholesterol enters our body when we eat this or that food, so its amount can be regulated by proper nutrition. Saturated fats, which are very abundant in animal products, increase it significantly, but vegetable fats, on the contrary, reduce performance.
The peculiarity of the diet is that you should eat only foods that have a natural origin. For example, margarine is considered the most harmful fat, so you do not need to use it. It is better to give preference to fats consisting of polyunsaturated acids - olive, corn and linseed oils.
The second feature of the diet is that it is required to limit the daily dose of cholesterol to 250 mg. When developing a diet, make sure that the products that lower cholesterol in the blood must include fresh fruits and vegetables, which contain a lot of carbohydrates.
Prohibited and allowed foods for high cholesterol
Prohibited Products
When cooking, try not to fry them in a pan with fat. It is best to grill, bake, boil and steam dishes. Remove the following foods from your diet:
- meat: fatty pork with beef, duck and all kinds of smoked meats;
- sausages: pate, lard, smoked sausage, sausages and ham;
- fats: palm oil and coconut oil;
- dairy products: whole milk, full-fat yogurt and yogurt with cream, cream itself, as well as fatty processed and hard cheeses;
- seafood: shrimp;
- fish: smoked, marinated and seasoned with various sauces;
- bread: all confectionery and bakery products, with the exception of whole grains;
- offal: liver, brains and kidneys.
Eggs are not considered healthy foods that lower blood cholesterol, although there is a constant discussion about them. It is allowed to include eggs in the diet, but you should not eat more than two boiled eggs per week. Especially a lot of cholesterol is found in the yolk, but if you cook an omelet from two proteins and one yolk once a week, it will not be harmful. Many nutritionists believe that proteins can be eaten in unlimited quantities, because they have practically no cholesterol.
Healthy foods
A diet to reduce bad cholesterol should stimulate the human body to lower LDL and form HDL. Therefore, you need to eat the “right” food and foods that reduce cholesterol in the blood include:
- vegetable oil: olive, sunflower and soybean, as well as corn;
- poultry meat: chicken, chicken and turkey without skin;
- drinks: still mineral water, teas, fruit and vegetable juices;
- meat: lean pork, veal and beef;
- grains: all types are allowed, whole grains are especially useful, as they contain a lot of dietary fiber;
- seasonings: dill, basil, cumin, parsley, bay leaf, marjoram, pepper;
- fruits: citrus fruits must be present on the menu - lemons, tangerines, oranges. The best fruit for lowering cholesterol is grapefruit and it is recommended to eat two and a half cups of grapefruit slices per day. This will help lower your cholesterol levels significantly. Dried fruits are also useful: raisins and prunes;
- nuts: almonds, hazelnuts and peanuts;
- fats: vegetable margarine and low-calorie butter;
- fish: fish, which contains Omega 3, is useful, it reduces blood viscosity and therefore reduces the risk of blood clots. Omega-3s are found in fish such as salmon, herring, canned tuna, sardines, and mackerel.
As for vegetables, any vegetables are allowed, salads are prepared from them, stewed, baked, but in no case should you season vegetable dishes with fatty sauce and mayonnaise.
Now you know how to reduce the level of bad cholesterol in the blood, what diet to follow and follow all the other recommendations. Do not take your health carelessly, because it will be very difficult to restore it in the future.
This material is for informational purposes only, before using the information provided, it is necessary to consult with a specialist.
