What is cholesterol?
Cholesterol is a fatty substance in our blood that is naturally produced in the liver. Everyone has cholesterol because every cell in our body needs it to stay healthy. Cholesterol plays a vital role in maintaining cell membranes and in the production of vitamin D and bile acids; it is used to produce many hormones, such as testosterone and estrogen.
So why is there so much negative press? Well, there are two types of cholesterol – good cholesterol and bad cholesterol. Too much bad cholesterol can stick to artery walls, increasing your risk of heart disease or stroke.
good cholesterol vs bad cholesterol
As cholesterol travels through our bodies in the blood and binds to small proteins called lipoproteins, high-density lipoproteins (HDL) remove cholesterol from our tissues and carry it back to the liver for recycling. Because of this beneficial effect of HDL on the body, it is often called good cholesterol and has protective effects.
In contrast, low-density lipoprotein (LDL) carries cholesterol from the liver to our tissues and deposits it on the walls of our arteries. Too much LDL can lead to the formation of fatty plaques, which block blood vessels and increase the risk of cardiovascular disease and stroke.
Although high levels of LDL in our bodies can have negative effects, these proteins are still important to our health because low levels of LDL are used to produce vitamin D and steroid hormones.
What affects cholesterol levels in the body?
Major risk factors for developing high cholesterol:
smokes
Inactive
high alcohol intake
family history of heart disease
Eat a lot of saturated fat or trans fat
Excess body fat, especially around the middle
Cholesterol, hypercholesterolemia, and thyroid disease
In addition to diet and lifestyle, our cholesterol levels can also be affected by certain medical conditions, such as familial hypercholesterolemia and thyroid disease.
Hormones produced by the thyroid gland play an important role in regulating metabolism and helping break down fats, including cholesterol. Therefore, an underactive or overactive thyroid can affect the body's ability to process cholesterol.
Hypothyroidism can also cause hypercholesterolemia, an increase in LDL cholesterol in the body. If you are experiencing symptoms of thyroid-related disease, a thyroid-related blood test can provide a simple way to check your thyroid function.
Is it possible to lower cholesterol?
You can get your cholesterol back to healthy levels with healthy swaps. For example, you can lower your cholesterol by making small changes to your diet and lifestyle choices[2].
Foods containing saturated fat, including red meat, cheese, fats and oils, contain high amounts of cholesterol. Animal products and plants, on the other hand, do not contain cholesterol. Eating fresh fruits, vegetables, seeds, nuts and whole grains can help lower cholesterol. Reducing alcohol intake and increasing exercise can also help reduce the risk of cholesterol-related diseases.
Ways to lower cholesterol:
change what you eat
Reduce alcohol intake
more active
quit smoking
How do I check my cholesterol levels?
Since there are no obvious signs of high cholesterol in our bodies, the only way to check cholesterol is through a blood test.
With a home cholesterol blood test, you can measure your levels of triglycerides, LDL, and HDL cholesterol and determine your risk for heart disease based on the ratio of total cholesterol to HDL cholesterol. You will find out if your cholesterol levels are ideal (within the normal/healthy range) or if your cholesterol levels are out of range.