Cholesterol is a natural fat called lipid, essential to the body, the liver produces and provided by food.
Reminder
To circulate in the blood, cholesterol must bind to “carriers” that can match the good or bad cholesterol. Cholesterol is essential for our body. The balance is to have lots of good cholesterol and the least amount of bad cholesterol. Without getting too technical, we must remember that:
§ The LDL cholesterol is the bad cholesterol
§ Cholesterol HDL is the good cholesterol.
The ideal levels of blood total cholesterol of 1.8 to 2.0 g / l, which corresponds to a lower risk of heart attack occurred. However:
§ good cholesterol should be greater than 0.35 g / l.
§ bad cholesterol less than 1.6 g / l.
We must remember that the good cholesterol, added to the bad cholesterol, gives the total cholesterol.
WHAT ARE THE CAUSES OF HIGH CHOLESTEROL?
We can retain the five main causes of increased blood cholesterol, also called hypercholesterolemia:
- Family and genetic origin: It is often highlighted, it is not automatically transferable to a generation, but is left with a significant predominance of the same family.
- Taking certain medications: They can cause an increase. We especially highlighted the role of oral contraceptives and other drugs such as diuretics, cortisone … may be responsible.
- Some diseases they can cause high cholesterol, or be identified due to a balance sheet for hypercholesterolemia. Are renal diseases, diabetes or thyroid.
- An unhealthy lifestyle: In particular, a high-fat diet, which is associated with overweight can cause hypercholesterolemia.
- Lack of physical activity: The sport also plays an important role in striking a balance between good and bad cholesterol.
Prevent or reduce high cholesterol?
There are two types of prevention is called primary prevention to avoid the occurrence of high cholesterol, and secondary prevention to avoid complications when the rate is already high at 2 g / land more.
Processing solutions are:
- The diet
This is the first stage of treatment. A well-followed diet can lower blood cholesterol by 10 to 15%. This is more than a diet, but to a new way of eating in always keeping the pleasure of the plate. The rules are often simple:
§ we avoid the consumption of fats, red meat, fatty dairy products, meats, and food intake of cholesterol such as eggs,
§ we are wary of fries, donuts, and cooking oils,
§ is favored sunflower oil, olive oil, and rapeseed oil,
§ it strengthens products rich in Omega 3 and Omega 6,
§ we consume more fish than usual,
§ increases in no small measure the consumption of fruit and vegetables at every meal, to reach the decision of at least five fruits and vegetables a day.
- Medication
The doctor will suggest different types of treatments depending on your type and your cholesterol.These drugs can be effective only if taken regularly significantly by combining a diet.
- The lifestyle changes
Outside the regime, delete the amount of sugars that can absorb: confectionery, sugar, soft drinks, and remove any alcohol intake. We will limit the stress factors.
- Physical and sports activities
This is an essential and indispensable complement to all of this treatment (see below).
Why fight against cholesterol?
Cholesterol is dangerous because it is a fat circulating in the blood. This fat will gradually settle on the walls of arteries and form little by little that is known of atherosclerotic plaques.
The arteries will, therefore, have a diameter will diminish, as is the case in the pipes of a house, who gradually clog by too hard water. The excess cholesterol reduces the caliber of the arteries, making the passage of blood and promotes more difficult by the poor circulation of blood clots.
When the blood stops flowing, it can produce very serious accidents resulting in death or paralysis.The risks are numerous enough that it fights cholesterol.
These are:
§ On angina.
§ Myocardial infarction.
§ Loss of consciousness and syncope.
§ On the stroke.
§ In acute ischemia.
§ In peripheral arterial disease.
§ Partial or total paralysis.
What exercise to lower cholesterol?
Sport, a physical activity usually modifies cholesterol in a still favourable to cardiac and vascular risk by reducing bad cholesterol and especially by increasing the good cholesterol. However, in order that physical activity is effective, it is necessary that the effort is sufficiently long, intense and repetitive.
Before you start or resume physical activity, consult your doctor so he can give you the green light and especially advise you on the proper way to practice. Remember the dietary advice, good practice with good material, good shoes, in a group if possible, starting gradually. The walking fast, the bike, the running, swimming are among the recommended sports, however respecting cardiac standards.
To simplify, know that the effort may not cause an increase in your heart rate beyond the formula 200 – age. So someone 60 years will make an effort provided its frequency does not exceed 140. It is always difficult to know oneself test his heart rate. There measuring devices called heart rate.
But this should not be a hindrance to the good sport. Remember the principle that the effort should be made without too much fatigue, without being out of breath, you should be able to talk to his neighbor, and do not feel the abnormal heartbeat.
