superior to even the most splendid machines. All of us have a
responsibility to maintain this body in the best way so as to maintain
our good health.
Cholesterol, recently described in the press as a cause of heart
attacks even in young people, heads the list of those agents that pose
a serious threat. In light of the latest statistics, it has been
established that currently, one of the main causes of death cardiac
and artery diseases linked to cholesterol. In this article, we shall
examine how cholesterol forms and how best to protect yourself against
it.
What is Cholesterol?
This is a fatty substance, of a wax-like consistency, that is
essential for life. It is widespread throughout the body, but
particularly in the brain, nerves, liver intestines, muscles and
heart.
Every year, according to a World Health Organization (WHO) report on
17 October 2002, heart attacks and strokes cause the deaths of 12
million people worldwide. Individual efforts aimed at reducing these
major threats, together with simple, low-cost measures taken at the
national level, can reduce these major risks to health—such as high
blood pressure, high cholesterol, obesity and cigarettes—by over 50%.
The body uses cholesterol to produce hormones, Vitamin D, and the bile
acids that digest fats. In order for these processes to take place,
very low blood levels of cholesterol are sufficient.. But if there is
too much cholesterol in the blood, it accumulates in the arteries and
causes them to harden and narrow. We absorb excess cholesterol through
animal food products causing the level of cholesterol in our
bloodstream to rise to dangerous levels.
As you know, a network of blood vessels interpenetrates the entire
body, carrying blood to such organs as the heart, brain and kidneys,
thus permitting them to function. If cholesterol accumulates in any
organ's blood vessels, then in that organ diseases appear.
If cholesterol accumulates in the coronary arteries that nourish the
heart, for example, problems such as chest pains or heart attacks
develop. On the other hand, accumulations of cholesterol in the renal
arteries may lead to kidney defects and high blood pressure. The
higher a person's cholesterol level, the greater the risk of heart
disease.
Anti-Cholesterol Nutrition
- Balance Your Cholesterol with Omega Oils
Omega-oil acids moderate the amounts of cholesterol produced by the liver.
Omega-3 is most present in fish, and Omega-6 in walnuts and hazelnuts.
Lately, canola oil has become popular for the Omega-3 it contains.
- Chicken Breast Is Low in Cholesterol
People with weight problems and high cholesterol should eat breast of
chicken—the so-called white meat—keeping in mind that wings and
drumsticks are rich in cholesterol, however. Skinning the chicken
first helps lower the fact content. Even so, in terms of cholesterol,
soya mince or soya meat are still preferable to animal products.
- Beware of Cheddar Cheese!
No matter how carefully you shop for diet products, the cheddar cheese
you buy will still contain a high level of cholesterol. Therefore,
cottage cheese is recommended instead.
- Seafood Is High in Cholesterol!
Shellfish (mussels, lobster, squid) contain high levels of
cholesterol, for which reason you should eat them only occasionally
and other forms of seafood are preferable.
- Regular Walking Raises Levels of Good Cholesterol and Lowers Harmful
Cholesterol
The more physical activity you do, the higher your level of HDL (good
cholesterol). To balance cholesterol, exercise is essential along with
a proper diet. For a healthy heart, walking is the ideal form of
exercise. One should walk at least half an hour every day. Three
kilometers (1.8 miles) in 30 minutes will be enough to maintain a
healthy heart rhythm.
In order to lower your levels of LDL (harmful cholesterol):
- Eat plenty of fruit and vegetables.
- Eat 3 to 4 portions of vegetables and 3 to 4 portions of fruit a
day. The ideal regimen is to consume five portions of both every day,
as in a home-made fruit salad.
- Eat more salads, complete with tomatoes, cucumbers, sweet corn,
lettuce, carrots…
- Eat less fat, and trim fat from cuts of meat before cooking.
- Cut back on sugar.
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