Cholesterol – The dreaded word, which most Indians believe to be a sign of a heart-related problem. However this is not entirely true. Cholesterol is a waxy fatty substance present in the cells of the body. It is found in certain types of food and is also made in the body. It is essential for the body so that it can produce vitamin D, hormones, and other factors necessary to digest food.
Like everything else, an excess of cholesterol is harmful to the body and is the main cause of many cardiovascular diseases. But what is really harmful is that there are no visible signs to recognize that someone has high blood cholesterol. Like a slow poison, it could keep damaging your body from within until one day you realize it, perhaps after serious damage has been done to your system.
The liver produces 80% of the required cholesterol and the rest is available to the body through food. Such as food derived from animal products such as cheese, meat, poultry, fish.
Lipoproteins carry cholesterol in the blood. There are four types of lipoproteins in the body:
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High-density lipoprotein (HDL) or “good cholesterol”
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Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) or “bad cholesterol”
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Very low-density lipoproteins (VLDL), which are really bad forms of cholesterol.
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Chylomicrons actually have very little cholesterol but a lot of other harmful fat called triglycerides.
Who is safe?
People often fool themselves into believing that they cannot have a certain disease. The same goes for cholesterol. Women believe that they cannot have high cholesterol; only men probably have it. Some believe that only once they reach fifty do they have to worry about cholesterol. Some even think that being thin is their ticket to safety. Unfortunately, they are all wrong. Anyone can have high cholesterol.
In fact, one should start getting a checkup after age 20. With the advent of smartphones and computers, the younger generation has adopted a sedentary lifestyle in which exercise has been reduced to the touch of the thumbs on their phone screens. Food options have also changed from simple but healthy foods to dishes soaked in butter and garnished with additional cheese. Putting them at greater risk for high cholesterol levels.
If you are overweight or have a family history of high cholesterol, or if you suffer from other diseases such as diabetes, you should be very careful. Smokers or obese people should also get tested regularly.
The guilty foods
A heart-healthy diet and plenty of exercise can help you control excess cholesterol. Avoid foods high in saturated fat. The animal produces like the calf; pork, beef, eggs, milk and cheese are the usual suspects.
Coconut oil, palm oil, or cocoa butter are equally culprits. And finally, your favorite snacks, like cookies and potato chips, are loaded with saturated fat. Stay away from these as much as possible.
What are the signs?
High cholesterol is a disease in disguise. It never shows any symptoms. Most people discover it only when it results in a more serious health problem, such as
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A heart attack: caused by blockage of the arteries in the heart.
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Angina: pain caused by narrowing of the arteries.
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Stroke – caused by a blockage in the arteries in the neck or brain.
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Pain when walking: caused by a blockage in an artery in the leg.
What I can do?
Regular tests can help detect and treat high cholesterol.
Taking into account the Indian lifestyle, doctors suggest that your first test should be done at the age of 20, to determine the baseline of cholesterol and then the test should be done every 5 years. If you have a family history or other illnesses or lifestyle as mentioned above, you should get tested more often.
Adults with coronary artery disease should be tested at least once a year, as do those with diabetes and hypertension.
The lipid panel and lipid profile are the most common tests to monitor cholesterol levels, which can be performed in almost all diagnostic centers. But if you see your doctor, after a physical exam, he might suggest other tests as well.
Living a healthy lifestyle and getting regular preventive screenings is the key to living a good, healthy life and keeping all the other health problems created by cholesterol at bay.
Live healthy to fully enjoy life!