Controlling Your Cholesterol Levels
It is common knowledge that high cholesterol levels in the blood can cause a number of health problems, some of a very serious nature. It is in your own interest to reduce the level of blood cholesterol.
The name “cholesterol” refers to a family of compounds that are found in the body. Some of these cholesterols may be good (HDL), others may be bad (LDL) for you. The trick is to maintain a decently high level of the good and reduce the bad cholesterol.
A high level of cholesterol is no disease in itself. The actual diseases are born out of this condition. When there is an excess of bad cholesterol in the blood, the circulatory system gets stressed and consequently the heart is strained. This leads to clogging of the arteries, a condition known as atherosclerosis. That apart the heart also begins to falter, a condition known as cardiac arrhythmia. High blood pressure, stroke, and heart attack are results of the condition brought on by high levels of LDL in the blood. So keeping LDL in check will protect you from these diseases. If you already have any of these problems, keeping a check on LDL will reduce their severity. Read on to find out how you can keep LDL in check.
The body regulates the level of cholesterol in the blood. As long as this regulation proceeds as required, there is no problem. There are times when this regulation fails. There are two common situations which lead to such failure. One is when we overdose the body with bad cholesterol. How? By eating of course! Oils, fats, animal produce, and some substances like sodium lead to a build up of bad cholesterol in the blood. Keep these villains off your diet and the bad cholesterol will drop back to normal level.
The second situation is an inactive lifestyle. If you are serious about controlling the level of bad cholesterol in your blood, then you should make it a point of exercising regularly. Thirty minutes of exercise is what the American Heart Association advises. Choose the form of exercise that suits you and your lifestyle best. Cycling, dancing, aerobics, walking, jogging, and swimming are all pleasant forms of exercise. Do these regularly as part of your normal routine, and watch those cholesterol levels drop!
A secondary cause of high cholesterol is smoking. Smoking raises the level of cholesterol in the blood. Even second hand smoke is harmful in this respect. So, if you do have a high cholesterol level, reduce or stop smoking, and avoid those places where there is a lot of second hand smoke.
Hereditary and genetic factors may also be the prime cause of high cholesterol levels in the blood. Sometimes it’s not what you eat that causes high cholesterol levels. It’s just the way you’re built that does it! The body has natural mechanisms to control cholesterol. If these mechanisms misoperate then you’re going to see high cholesterol levels in your blood. Consult your physician and he will prescribe appropriate medication which suits your personal requirements.
In conclusion, high levels of bad cholesterol can badly damage your health and lifestyle. If you want to lead a long and healthy and happy life, here’s what you do. Number one, stop smoking. Number two, exercise. Number three, avoid fats and animal produce in your diet. There you have it: Lower cholesterol levels in three easy steps just as promised!
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