What is Cholesterol: Types, Tests, Treatments, Prevention

Cholesterol is a fat that our body produces and uses for its myriad functioning. You can also count on animal-based foods for cholesterol. To understand if your cholesterol level is perfect, you must take a cholesterol test to understand your overall cholesterol level, amount of good and bad cholesterol, HDL, LDL, and triglycerides.

Know What Cholesterol is?

While you might have come across the term- cholesterol many times, it might be a completely alien topic for you and you probably don’t know what is cholesterol. The waxy fat or lipid, which circulates all across your bloodstream is what we call cholesterol. Since lipids or cholesterol don’t dissolve in water, they don’t come apart from the bloodstream. And though your body makes sufficient cholesterol, you can also get them from various animal-based food items.

Why is Cholesterol Essential for Your Body?

Your body demands cholesterol, which in turn contributes towards the cell membranes’ production of layers. These are the layers that keep your cell contents safe from foreign particles. It acts as a protector against everything that would make their entry and exit from your cell. The cholesterol is produced by the liver and is used by the same to produce bile, which helps in food digestion. Through cholesterol, your body makes a lot of hormones and produces vitamin D. To cater to your body’s requirements, your liver produces sufficient cholesterol.

The Types of Cholesterol

• Cholesterol circulates throughout your body and lipoproteins carry them in your blood. The lipoproteins produced by them include:
• Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) is one of the two major lipoproteins and is referred to as the ‘bad cholesterol.
• High-Density lipoprotein is another major lipoprotein that is the ‘good cholesterol.
• Very low-density lipoproteins are particles that are present in the blood and are responsible for carrying triglycerides.

Why Should We Be Concerned About the Cholesterol Level in Our Body?

A sufficient cholesterol level is essential to cater to your requirements. However, excessive cholesterol can create problems in your body. The condition, when you develop excessive levels of cholesterol in your body is termed hypercholesterolemia, and when the cholesterol level is low, it is known as hypocholesterolaemia. While it isn’t a common scenario to have low cholesterol levels, it can happen anytime.

Cholesterol Levels in Body: How Are They Measured?

People above 20 years must opt for a cholesterol test once in 5 years. Cholesterol level as prescribed by your healthcare provider to examine and determine the level of cholesterol in your blood. Only a cholesterol test can help you understand the levels of cholesterol in your body. Apart from this, you can also expect to get a recommendation for a lipid profile test. The lipid profile test displays:

Total levels of cholesterol

• LDL Levels
• HDL Levels
• VLDL Levels followed by triglycerides
• Non-HDL cholesterol
• The ratio between HDL and cholesterol

What is the Symptom of Cholesterol?

There aren’t any remarkable symptoms of cholesterol. In a majority of cases, a spike in cholesterol level might lead you to emergency events. Like high cholesterol might result in a heart attack or even stroke.

How is Your Cholesterol Level Affected?

There is a plethora of factors that contribute to affecting your levels of cholesterol. Here’s what causes high cholesterol.

Ensure a Trans, Saturated, and Cholesterol-free Diet

The cholesterol level in your body soars because you consume trans-fat, saturated fat, and also cholesterol present in your food. To keep your cholesterol level in check, you must make an effort in reducing your intake of saturated fat, cholesterol, and trans-fat from your diet. All of this will jointly bring down your cholesterol level.

1. Put in Efforts to Keep your Weight in Check

Apart from inviting severe ailments related heart and other organs of your body, obesity can also shoot your triglycerides to extreme levels. To bring your triglyceride level down and increase your HDL, you might want to keep your weight in check.

2. Exercise Regularly to Bring Your Triglycerides Down

Regular workouts can reduce your levels of cholesterol and is what raise your HDL and reduces triglycerides faster than any other factor. Try and engage in rigorous exercise for at least 30 minutes a day.

3. Age and Sex of a Person Contributes in Affecting your Cholesterol

Cholesterol levels rise when you start aging. And before women hit menopause, the total level of cholesterol in their body comes down than men of their age. The HDL tends to drop and the LDL rises post-menopause.

4. Heredity Determines the Production of Cholesterol in Your Body

Your cholesterol level is partially determined by your genes. You might hail from a family with a history of high blood cholesterol.

High Cholesterol Treatment: All the Possibilities

Myriad ways are explaining how to control your high blood cholesterol level that runs inclusive of lifestyle modifications and intake of medications or sometimes both. Only your health care provider can determine the best therapy for you.

What Changes in Lifestyle can Prevent High Cholesterol in Your Body?

Steer Clear of Tobacco

It’s high time you put an end to your habit of tobacco smoking if you haven't yet already. Of all the impacts it has on your body, bringing down your level of cholesterol is worth taking into consideration.

Change your Eating Habits

Restrict yourself from consuming trans and saturated fat and instead switch to healthy food habits like whole grains, poultry, fish, vegetables, fruits, etc. Also, preventing consumption of dairy products, sugary products, and red meat is your answer to ‘how to control high cholesterol?

Maintain a Healthy Weight

To lose weight effectively, get in touch with your healthcare provider. Once you understand the healthy ways of losing weight, you can make a dramatic difference in your level of cholesterol.

Keep your Blood Pressure and Blood Sugar From Exceeding the Desirable Range

Ensure to follow the guidelines provided to you by your healthcare provider to keep your blood sugar and blood pressure under check and within the desirable limit.

Star Imaging and Path Lab Pt. Ltd. offers cholesterol tests at affordable prices. The diagnostic centre is aided by a group of dynamic, experienced, and certified phlebotomists. The centre offers you an accurate display of results and helps you to determine the necessary medications and treatments to bring your cholesterol level under control.

Disclaimer: The information on this website should not be used as a substitute for professional medical care or advice. Contact a health expert if you have questions about your health.