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Worried about the high cholesterol in your blood report? Don’t know how to reduce bad cholesterol?
Obnoxious eating habits like eating junk food, fried food, over-eating, not eating on time and so on. These habits can lead to disturbed balance of cholesterol levels in your body. To understand what cholesterol is and how maintaining a cholesterol level is important, read this article.
OnlyMyHealth interacted with Dr Rituja Ugalmugle, Consultant Physician, Wockhardt Hospitals, Mumbai to understand everything you need to know about cholesterol levels in your body.
What Is Cholesterol?
Explaining what cholesterol is, Dr Ugalmugle said, “Cholesterol, a waxy substance in our body which originates from two primary sources. First, the liver synthesizes the necessary cholesterol, fulfilling the body's requirements. Secondly, additional cholesterol is derived from animal-based foods. While the liver produces essential cholesterol, dietary choices can impact overall levels. Understanding and managing cholesterol intake is vital for maintaining a healthy balance and preventing potential health risks.”
Also read: Indian Herbs That Help Lowering High Cholesterol
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Importance Of Cholesterol In Our Body
Cholesterol is always heard in a negative form. All my life, I’ve been hearing, this person has a cholesterol problem, that person is fat because of cholesterol, but nobody ever told me that cholesterol is important for our body until one day I read my own report which said in green that I have low good cholesterol but no bad cholesterol. I got confused, was having less good cholesterol harmful for my body? If you have a similar question regarding cholesterol, here is an answer by Dr Ugalmugle.
Dr Ugalmugle said, “Cholesterol is crucial for the body, serving vital roles such as constructing cell membranes, synthesizing hormones like estrogen, testosterone, and adrenal hormones, and supporting efficient metabolism. Additionally, cholesterol is essential for the production of vitamin D, highlighting its indispensable role in maintaining overall health and functionality.”
Cholesterol Levels
Normal cholesterol levels are measured in milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL):
- Total Cholesterol: 125 to 200 mg/dL
- Non-HDL: Less than 130 mg/dL
- LDL (Low-Density Lipoprotein): Less than 100 mg/dL
- HDL (High-Density Lipoprotein): 40 mg/dL or higher
After giving the idea of normal levels of cholesterol in our body, Dr Ugalmugle said, “These values provide a reference range for assessing cholesterol levels in the blood, helping to gauge the risk of cardiovascular diseases. Maintaining cholesterol within these specified ranges is crucial for overall heart health and reducing the likelihood of related complications.”
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Risk factors of high cholesterol
Explaining the risk factors of high cholesterol, Dr Ugalmugle, “Several factors contribute to high cholesterol levels, increasing the risk of cardiovascular issues. Unhealthy food choices, insufficient physical activity, smoking, or exposure to tobacco smoke are primary culprits.”
Adding, she said, “Being overweight or obese increases this risk, as does a genetic predisposition to high cholesterol. Recognizing and addressing these factors through lifestyle changes and, if necessary, medical interventions is essential for maintaining optimal cholesterol levels and overall heart health.”
Also read: Cholesterol Diet: 10 Superfoods To Control LDL In Winter
Dietary And Lifestyle Changes
When asked what dietary and lifestyle changes a person with high cholesterol makes, Dr Ugalmugle said, “For managing high cholesterol, focus on consuming beneficial foods like oily fish, brown rice, whole grain bread, nuts, seeds, fruits, and vegetables. Limit intake of meat pies, sausages, fatty meats, butter, lard, ghee, cream, hard cheese, cakes, biscuits, and foods containing coconut or palm oil.
He asked to decrease alcohol consumption, quit smoking, and also advised to exercise for at least 150 minutes a week. These adjustments promote heart health by fostering a cholesterol-friendly lifestyle.