Cholesterol is necessary for the proper functioning of organs and health in general. However, its excess is just as dangerous as its insufficient amount. Increased levels of this substance can lead to blockage of blood vessels and, as a result, the threat of a heart attack, stroke, and problems with the functioning of internal organs. Let’s find out which foods should really be avoided in your diet if your cholesterol is higher than normal.
It is important to remember that any health problems should be addressed with a doctor. Only specialists can prescribe treatment and diet.
Cholesterol is a lipid, a fat-like substance that many people automatically “write down” into the list of compounds that are dangerous to health. Although it can be harmful in some cases, it would be difficult for the human body to function without it.
Why do we need cholesterol and when does it become dangerous?
Cholesterol is important for the functioning of the nervous system, the formation and regeneration of cells, the synthesis of hormones, and the vitamin D that is so necessary for humans. The body is able to synthesize it on its own, and in addition, it comes from outside – as part of food products.
Cholesterol does not move around the body on its own, but with the help of transport proteins, forming a complex called lipoprotein. The ratio of proteins and cholesterol – and lipoproteins can also contain other lipids, but cholesterol is the most popular “companion” – can be different, which affects the density of the complex. If there are a lot of proteins, the density increases, if there are fewer of them than the lipid component, then, accordingly, it decreases. It is the density that determines whether cholesterol will benefit the body or harm it.
Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) is called “bad”: if it is elevated, it begins to be deposited on the walls of blood vessels from the inside, interfering with normal blood flow and increasing the risk of developing cardiovascular diseases. But high-density cholesterol acts differently – on the contrary, it cleans the vessels from plaques.
The condition of elevated low-density cholesterol is called dyslipidemia. According to statistics, it occurs in every second Russian and often goes unnoticed for many years. This is due to the fact that in most cases, high cholesterol does not cause any unpleasant symptoms – no headaches, no weakness, no shortness of breath. Some signs appear when the level of the substance greatly exceeds the norm – these are xanthomas, fat deposits under the skin, as well as the corneal arc – a gray rim around the cornea. High cholesterol, remaining unnoticed, negatively affects health, every year and increases the likelihood of strokes, heart attacks, atherosclerosis and other cardiovascular problems.
Cholesterol levels can increase due to poor nutrition and a sedentary lifestyle, but dyslipidemia can be caused not only by an unbalanced diet, but also by genetic factors. They cause a familial or hereditary form , the signs of which can appear in early childhood.
What to do if cholesterol is higher than normal
You can assess your cholesterol level with a blood test. Domestic doctors recommend taking it regularly after 40 years, while American experts recommend getting tested for the first time in adolescence, just to notice familial dyslipidemia.
If you have high cholesterol, you need to understand the reasons why it has increased.
Today, doctors recommend reducing it, usually using a comprehensive approach. This comprehensive view of the problem involves, first of all, prescribing medications known as statins, but is usually not limited to them. You will also have to change your lifestyle, including your diet, otherwise the treatment will not be effective.
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Doctors first determine the so-called cardiac risk, that is, the probability of cardiovascular diseases in the next ten years. There are several gradations of cardiac risk – up to high and extremely high. The higher it is, the more intensively you need to reduce cholesterol, the more effort you need to put into this.
What to eat if you have high cholesterol
Eating with high cholesterol requires a conscious approach to diet. However, it is important to remember that although diet can reduce cholesterol levels by more than a third , drug therapy still makes the main contribution to this process.
The most suitable diet for high cholesterol for those who monitor their health and care about the state of the cardiovascular system is the Mediterranean diet. It has repeatedly been included in the list of the best diets and even topped it. And this is no coincidence – the benefits of the Mediterranean diet have been confirmed in many studies.
It involves eating a lot of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, that is, everything that is rich in fiber, as well as easily digestible protein – meat, poultry, fish, dairy products, healthy fats present in sea fish and vegetable oils. The list of prohibited products includes trans fats, which are found in large quantities in ready-made food and fast food, semi-finished products, and food with a high salt content.
Another diet option that is useful for high cholesterol is the DASH diet. It is known as a diet that lowers blood pressure, but it is also suitable for high cholesterol. Its main feature is a reduction in salt consumption. The latter is found in large quantities in ready-made food, sausages, smoked products, and fast food dishes. The list of permitted products includes fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, low-fat dairy products, lean meat, and fish.
The clinical recommendations of the Russian Ministry of Health also include a diet for high cholesterol. It is necessary to include more poultry in your menu for a week, for example, chicken, and turkey; eat whole grains – rice, durum pasta, bulgur, couscous, buckwheat; and fiber – fruits, vegetables, nuts. The diet should include low-fat dairy products and vegetable oils. In addition, it is worth eating fish at least twice a week: omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, which are found in seafood, are beneficial for high cholesterol. However, experts advise limiting red meat, sweets, and sweet drinks on a diet to reduce LDL.
It is not necessary to completely give up butter and eggs, which many consider forbidden products, with dyslipidemia. The cholesterol consumed with food does not make a significant contribution to the level of low-density lipoproteins. A much more serious impact is exerted by saturated fats in general – the same ones found in burgers, pizza, and fast food.
Regardless of the cholesterol level, the weekly menu should be rich and varied. You don’t need to completely give up certain food groups — fats, carbohydrates, and proteins are all necessary in your diet. A severely restrictive diet that involves a sharp reduction in calories can provide weight loss, but in the long term, it can result in weight gain and an increased risk of developing cardiovascular diseases.
It is important to remember that there are virtually no products or supplements that can significantly reduce LDL levels. One of the few that has been proven to be effective and actually reduces cholesterol is monacolin K. This is the name given to red yeast rice extract. This rice is obtained by exposing the grains to fungi: after the fungi germinate, the rice turns bright red. The composition of the grains also changes, and a substance called monacolin appears in them. In structure and action, it is similar to statins, which are prescribed as cholesterol-lowering therapy for those with a high risk of developing cardiovascular diseases.
What else can help with high cholesterol?
The most important thing with high cholesterol is to take the therapy prescribed by your doctor. Taking statins helps reduce the “bad” lipoprotein and reduces the risk of developing cardiovascular diseases, including life-threatening heart attacks and strokes.
Many patients stop taking the pills because they do not feel that the medicine is working. Indeed, statins do not relieve headaches or extra pounds, and therefore it is impossible to notice their effect with the naked eye without laboratory tests. However, their effectiveness has been confirmed by time and numerous studies. If the cardiac risk is determined as high, very high and extreme, then you cannot do without drug treatment; nutrition alone is not enough in this case.
Not only therapy and diet are important, but also physical activity, which should be done for at least 30 minutes every day. Regular exercise – walking, strolling, dancing, swimming – will be good for the heart and will help you lose weight. Cardiologists recommend achieving a body mass index of 20-25 kg/m2, noting that this will have a positive effect on the health of patients with high cholesterol.
What can be done?
Remember that the “cholesterol-free” label on a bottle of sunflower oil is nothing more than a marketing ploy. There is no cholesterol in plants, and therefore it simply cannot be included in vegetable oils, like any other plant-based products. Most vegetable oils are considered heart-healthy, so adding them to salads can be a healthy and tasty way to diversify your diet. In addition to olive oil, pay attention to pumpkin, sesame, and camelina oils.
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