Facts about Cholesterol - Basahin...

Facts About Cholesterol
(Basahin niyo po kasi hindi ito kadalasan pinapaliwanag ng doktor sa iyo at paki share niyo po para makinabang ang iba. Salamat po!)

1. Your body has a built-in cholesterol factory. It’s called your liver. The human body needs cholesterol to function properly, but your liver can make all the cholesterol you need, even if you consume no dietary cholesterol at all. Problems start when you eat too much saturated fat and your body makes too much of the LDL, or “bad,” cholesterol, which can then turn into the plaque that lines (and eventually clogs) your arteries.

2. Cholesterol fuels your sex drive. That’s no myth — you have cholesterol to thank for making the sex hormones testosterone, estrogen, and progesterone. You wouldn’t want to live without it! In fact, you couldn’t live without it, as cholesterol is also a vital component of cell membranes — think of it as one of your body’s building blocks — and it also plays a role in digestion by helping your liver make the acids needed to digest fat.

3. Pregnant women have naturally high cholesterol levels. During pregnancy, a woman’s total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol reach high levels. This is an important part of making a baby, so it’s not a concern unless cholesterol remains high after giving birth. According to research published in the Journal of Brain Development comparing imaging tests of babies born early to those born on time, the good form of cholesterol, HDL or high-density lipoprotein, appears to play a leading role in helping babies form healthy brains. Other research shows that breast milk, which is naturally rich in cholesterol, may offer heart health security later in life — studies have found that breastfed babies may have lower cholesterol levels as adults, reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease.

4. Infant formula has added cholesterol. To better mimic breast milk, baby formula includes a variety of vitamins, minerals, and, yes, fats, some of which contain cholesterol. Some studies, however, show that the more important additions to formula are the fatty acids in breast milk, like DHA.

5. Children can have high cholesterol. If you thought high cholesterol could only be a problem for middle-aged adults, you’re wrong. Even children’s cholesterol can reach unhealthy levels.

6. The average cholesterol level among adult is 200 mg/dL, considered borderline high by the American Heart Association (AHA). But the idea that everyone should strive for the same number is a cholesterol myth. Everyone is different, so talk so to your doctor about setting your goal cholesterol levels. True high cholesterol is defined as over 240 mg/dL, according to the AHA, and numbers higher than that double your heart disease risk.

7. You can see cholesterol in your eyes. White rims around the cornea of the eyes are a sign of cholesterol buildup, though they don’t necessarily indicate a heart problem. However, visible fatty lumps of cholesterol under the skin on the eyelids (known as xanthelasma) may predict future heart issues. Researchers found a strong link between these lumps and heart disease or a heart attack five years later.

8. Cholesterol looks a lot like fat. Though we tend to think of high blood cholesterol as just a number from a blood test, the cholesterol lines your arteries, these deposits tend to be yellow with a white covering, much like fat.

9. Cholesterol may protect your skin. Early skin treatment research indicates that cholesterol added as an ingredient in moisturizers could help protect skin from UV damage.

10. The National Cholesterol Education Program recommends cholesterol screenings every five years after age 20. About one in four people have never had a cholesterol check.

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Symptoms of High Cholesterol Levels in the Bloodstream

Detecting or determining the symptoms of high cholesterol levels in the bloodstream may probably a great deal. However, elevated cholesterol levels can lead to atherosclerosis and also the symptoms of cardiovascular disease.

Too much cholesterol can make the arteries become narrow and hardened. It means that the elasticity of the arteries simply disappears and it becomes more difficult for blood to flow through. It means that high cholesterol levels can form a plaque that can rupture which is causing the blood to clot around the rupture. In other words, if the blood cannot flow through to a part of the body, the tissue dies.

High cholesterol levels can lead to cardiovascular disease. There are a number of symptoms of this kind of condition. The arteries that supply the blood to lower limbs are blocked by a plaque of cholesterol. It can cause leg pain when walking or running. Again, LEG PAIN WHEN WALKING OR RUNNING!

The effect will be more serious if the plaque completely blocks the arteries. In the meantime, high cholesterol levels in arteries that link to the brain can cause angina and heart attack. In addition, it can also lead to reduced heart function if the heart muscle is pretty much damaged.

High cholesterol levels in the arteries in the neck can lead to stroke or repeated mini strokes or also known as transient ischemic attacks. It is because the brain needs sufficient blood to function properly. Since the blood flow is blocked by the plaque formed by cholesterol, the brain cannot get enough blood supply. There are also other symptoms or effects of high cholesterol levels. These include problems in the aorta which is the main artery in the chest and abdomen, problems in kidney arteries, and also in intestinal vessels.

NOTE:
Check your blood cholesterol regularly.