An increase in blood cholesterol may indicate the development of pathological processes in the body that do not allow internal organs and systems to function normally. Such a violation often leads to the development of serious diseases. Why did cholesterol rise? How to deal with it?
What you need to know about cholesterol
Before answering the question why cholesterol increased, it is worth clarifying what it is. This substance is very important for our body. Cholesterol is organic in origin and is a fat-soluble natural alcohol. The substance is part of the cell walls, forming their structure. Cholesterol is present in many living organisms. The compound is actively involved in the transport of substances inside and outside the cells.
Why did cholesterol rise? The process of production of this substance is influenced by many factors. However, cholesterol is very necessary for the human body to:
- transportation of certain substances through special mechanisms inside the cells;
- improving the plasticity of cell walls;
- production of vitamin D;
- synthesis of sex hormones, which include cholesterol;
- production of bile acid;
- digestion improvement and so on.
Varieties of cholesterol
There are many causes of high blood cholesterol. How to treat such a violation? First of all, it is worth clarifying what content standards exist and what cholesterol can be. This substance constantly circulates together with blood throughout the human body, moving from tissues and cells to the liver for further excretion. There is a type of cholesterol that is produced by man himself. It spreads through the tissues. This is due to lipoproteins. In other words, cholesterol and protein compounds. The following varieties are known:
- VLDLPs (triglycerides) are very low density lipoproteins that transport endogenous cholesterol;
- LDL - low density lipoproteins that transfer cholesterol to tissues from the liver;
- HDL - lipoproteins with a high density and involved in the transport of excess free cholesterol to the liver from all tissues for its processing and further excretion from the body.
The higher the content of the latter type of compounds, the lower the likelihood of developing an ailment such as atherosclerosis. If the level of other varieties increases, then the risk of the disease increases. Often with such a violation, the vessels are already damaged by atherosclerosis. The content of triglycerides in large quantities in the blood is also dangerous, since there is a destruction of compounds such as VLDL and the release of cholesterol.
What is the norm
So, what is the norm of blood cholesterol at 50 years old, at 30 or 20 years old? The content of this compound may vary from 3.6 to 7.8 mmol / liter. Deviation from the norm allows you to determine which disease is gradually developing in the body. If the cholesterol indicator is 5 mmol / liter, then this indicates increased cholesterol. In addition, the ratio of all lipid complexes is taken into account.
The more HDL present in the blood, the better. If the amount of bad cholesterol, for example, LDL or VLDL, is increasing, then you should reconsider your lifestyle and visit a doctor. The table of cholesterol norms by age allows you to more accurately determine how much this substance should be in the blood.
Who should check
To answer the question why cholesterol increased, it is worth passing an analysis. Blood is taken from a vein and only on an empty stomach. A day before the appointed date, it is worth excluding alcohol and fatty foods from your diet. In addition, you should refrain from smoking.
It is recommended to take such tests:
- if there is a risk of heredity;
- with hypothyroidism and diabetes;
- upon reaching a certain age;
- if there are bad habits;
- suffering from obesity;
- with prolonged use of hormonal contraceptives;
- with menopause;
- men over 35 years old;
- if there are symptoms of atherosclerosis.
Causes of High Blood Cholesterol
How to treat high cholesterol? To begin with, it is worth identifying the main reason for its development. Some believe that the problem is the excessive consumption of harmful foods, including cheese, processed meat, shrimp, canned food, margarine and fast food. However, the reason is often more serious. Among them it is worth highlighting:
- obesity;
- hypertension
- elderly age;
- coronary heart disease;
- diabetes;
- deterioration of the thyroid gland;
- genetic predisposition;
- cholelithiasis;
- poor diet and lifestyle;
- alcohol abuse.
If HDL cholesterol is elevated
What does high cholesterol mean? HDL is considered "good cholesterol." It helps the body get rid of compounds that are more harmful to the body. In this case, the substance positively affects the state of the body. HDL does not allow cholesterol plaques to accumulate and form, transports cholesterol to the liver, and cleans arteries, thereby preventing their blockage. In some cases, an increase in HDL levels may indicate the development of certain diseases, including:
- chronic hepatitis;
- primary cirrhosis;
- hereditary hyper-alpha lipoproteinemia;
- alcoholism;
- stressful condition;
- sudden weight loss.
For reliability and accurate diagnosis, the doctor may prescribe a second test. If the indicators exceed the norm, then a more thorough examination will be required. This is the only way to choose the right therapy and avoid the development of negative consequences.
Pregnancy Cholesterol
Increased cholesterol during pregnancy is not the norm. Therefore, if you encounter any deviations in the analysis, you should consult a doctor. Some diseases and disorders that occur in a woman's body can provoke an increase in cholesterol during pregnancy. Among such pathologies, it is worth highlighting:
- metabolic disorders;
- kidney disease
- diabetes;
- hypertension
- liver disease.
Elevated cholesterol during pregnancy is monitored regularly in the late and early stages. To do this, a woman should regularly take a blood test for 9 months. In addition to diseases, an increase in cholesterol during pregnancy can be triggered by the use of products that affect the amount of this compound in the body. Therefore, a pregnant woman should strictly follow the rules of a healthy diet.
What to eat with high cholesterol
If the level of cholesterol in the blood is elevated, then you need to correctly adjust your diet. To do this, adhere to the following rules:
- Omega-3 fats help lower blood cholesterol. Therefore, it is recommended to include foods such as lamprey, salmon, eel, sturgeon and stellate stellate in the diet.
- Vegetable oils. However, they should not be used for heat treatment of products, but for dressing cereals and salads.
- Nuts. Such foods are a rich source of monounsaturated fatty acids that can lower the level of "bad cholesterol" in the blood. A day is recommended to use up to 10 grams of hazelnuts, almonds, cashews.
- Vegetables and fruits. These foods must be present in the diet. There are no restrictions. However, legumes, sorrel, broccoli, spinach, cabbage remain in priority.
- The drinks. The diet can include herbal tea, coffee without cream, mineral water, fruit drinks, fresh natural juices.
- Porridge. They must be whole grains. Buckwheat and oatmeal are ideal. They are best consumed for breakfast seasoned with vegetable oil.
What to eat with caution
What can I eat with high cholesterol with caution? These products include:
- Dairy products. Do not completely abandon them. However, you need to choose such products correctly. With high cholesterol, it is worth consuming those that contain a minimum of fat.
- Meat. It should be low-fat varieties. Ideal for rabbit, turkey and chicken.
- Bread. If this product cannot be excluded from your diet, then it is worth giving preference to products from wholemeal flour. This rule also applies to pasta. It should be made from durum wheat.
- Sweet. Most desserts with elevated cholesterol are prohibited, as they contain a lot of fat. With this violation, homemade jam, marshmallows, marmalade and popsicles are preferable.
What affects blood cholesterol? First of all, these are disorders that occur in the body, diet, as well as how the products were prepared. With this pathology, fried foods are strictly prohibited. With high cholesterol, cooking is better in the oven or steamed.
List of cholesterol boosting foods
To reduce blood cholesterol, it is worth abandoning a number of products. This primarily concerns those with too many trans-fatty acids in their composition. It is they that affect the level of cholesterol in the blood. Their absence reduces the risk of developing coronary artery disease. With increased cholesterol, the following should be excluded from the diet:
- French fries;
- chocolate;
- butter;
- crackers and chips;
- confectionery, for example, cakes, rolls, cookies, waffles and so on;
- alcoholic drinks;
- fatty dishes;
- fat and bacon;
- pork, brisket and ribs;
- sausages and sausage of all varieties.
The diet should be adjusted so that it includes more foods that are allowed with high cholesterol.
Sample menu
What should be the diet for high cholesterol? The menu for the week is better to make together with a nutritionist. After all, adjustment is a complex process. A sample menu for the day is as follows:
- Breakfast : buckwheat porridge seasoned with vegetable-based oil -170 g, apple or ½ orange, coffee or tea without sweeteners.
- Second breakfast : a salad of tomatoes and cucumbers with oil - 260 g, fresh carrot juice - 200 ml.
- Lunch : low-fat vegetable soup - 300 ml, steam chicken cutlets - 150 g, grilled vegetables - 150 g, natural orange juice - 200 ml.
- Snack : oatmeal - 130 g, apple juice - 200 ml.
- Dinner : fish cooked in the oven without batter - 200 g, stewed vegetables - 150 g, bran bread - 1 slice, tea or coffee without sweeteners.
This is a sample menu. The composition of some dishes can be changed. It all depends on personal preference. The main thing is that any replacement is consistent with the rules of the diet.
Traditional medicine against high cholesterol
How to quickly lower blood cholesterol? To begin with, it is worth visiting a doctor and finding out the cause of such a pathology. Alternative medicine is in great demand. If the attending physician permits their use, then you can safely begin therapy. As for self-medication, it can aggravate the general condition and cause harm. Therefore, it is not recommended to use any drugs on their own, even based on herbs. In any case, consult a doctor. In addition, in some people, the herbal components of drugs can cause intolerance and allergies.
Infusion of dill and valerian with honey
This is one of the most popular drugs taken with high cholesterol. To prepare it, you need to mix one glass of dill and honey grains. To the resulting mixture, add a tablespoon of crushed valerian roots. The resulting mass must be poured with a liter of boiling water and left to infuse for a day. It is recommended to store the mixture in the cold.
You can take this infusion three times in knocks, one tablespoon about 20 minutes before eating.
Use of garlic
Garlic-based drugs can help lower blood cholesterol. For therapy, you can use ordinary tincture and alcohol tincture.
To prepare the medicine, you need to peel 10 cloves of garlic and pass them through a press. The resulting mass should be added to two glasses of olive oil. Insist on such a drug is worth a week. The infusion is used as dressing for salads and other dishes.
Alcohol tincture is prepared as follows. 300 grams of peeled garlic should be chopped and pour 200 milliliters of alcohol. Insist remedy for two weeks. You need to start taking with one drop. The dosage should gradually increase (1 drop in each subsequent dose) to 20. It is recommended to take the drug three times a day.
Drug therapy
To combat high cholesterol, drugs that can destroy lipids and synthesize new ones are usually used. Such drugs belong to the group of statins ("Vazilip", "Torvakard", " Hofitol" ) . It is these medications that help maintain cholesterol levels in the blood.
To aggravate the absorption of the compound in the intestine, the doctor may prescribe absorption inhibitors. Such therapy will be effective provided that the cause of high blood cholesterol is the abuse of foods high in this substance. It is worth noting that the intake of this compound in the body with food is only a fifth of its total amount. The rest is produced by internal organs. The effect of such drugs is not designed to lower blood cholesterol.
To increase the amount of "good" substances allow Omega-3 and fibrates. They can reduce the concentration of triglycerides.
Any doctor should prescribe any drug. Self-medication is not recommended.