Cholesterol and What You Can Do About It

 The word "cholesterol" comes from the Greek word chole, meaning "bile", and the Greek word stereos, meaning "solid, stiff”.

Cholesterol is a fat or lipid which is produced by the liver and is one which is crucial for the body to function normally.  

·         Cholesterol is essential for determining which molecules can pass into the cell and which cannot. 

·         It is also involved in the production of sex hormones, androgens and estrogens.

·         It also aids the production of bile and more importantly converts sunshine to vitamin D.

·         Cholesterol is important for the metabolism of fat soluble vitamins such as A,D,E and K

·         It insulates your nerve fibres

·         It is essential for the production of hormones released by the adrenal glands.

So, how does cholesterol get around your body?  Well, it is carried in the blood by molecules called lipoproteins.  What is a lipoprotein, well it is any complex or compound contacting both lipid (fat) and protein. 

There are essentially three types:

·         LDL (Low density lipoprotein) or bad cholesterol. LDL carries the cholesterol from the liver to cells,if there are more than the cells can use, there can be a harmful build of of LDL and this can increase the risk of arterial disease.

• HDL (high density lipoprotein) – or good cholesterol. Experts say HDL prevents arterial disease. HDL does the opposite of LDL - HDL takes the cholesterol away from the cells and back to the liver. In the liver it is either broken down or expelled from the body as waste.
• Triglycerides - these are the chemical forms in which most fat exists in the body, as well as in food. They are present in blood plasma. Triglycerides, in association with cholesterol, form the plasma lipids (blood fat).  Triglycerides in plasma originate either from fats in our food, or are made in the body from other energy sources, such as carbohydrates.

Calories we consume but are not used immediately by our tissues are converted into triglycerides and stored in fat cells. When your body needs energy and there is no food as an energy source, triglycerides will be released from fat cells and used as energy - hormones control this process.

What are normal cholesterol levels? 

The amount of cholesterol in human blood can vary from 3.6 mmol/litre to 7.8 mmol/litre.  The National Health Service (NHS), UK, says that any reading over 6 mmol/litre is high, and will significantly raise the risk of arterial disease. The UK Department of Health recommends a target cholesterol level of under 5 mmo/litre. Unfortunately, two-thirds of all UK adults have a total cholesterol level of at least five (average men 5.5, average women 5.6).

What causes high cholesterol?

Lifestyle causes

• Nutrition - although some foods contain cholesterol, such as eggs, kidneys,  and some seafoods, dietary cholesterol does not have much of an impact in human blood cholesterol levels. However, saturated fats do! Foods high in saturated fats include red meat, some pies, sausages, hard cheese, lard, pastry, cakes, most biscuits, and cream (there are many more).
• Sedentary lifestyle - people who do not exercise and spend most of their time sitting/lying down have significantly higher levels of LDL (bad cholesterol) and lower levels of HDL (good cholesterol).
• Bodyweight - people who are overweight/obese are much more likely to have higher LDL levels and lower HDL levels, compared to people who are of normal weight.
• Smoking - this can have quite a considerable effect on LDL levels.
• Alcohol - people who consume too much alcohol regularly, generally have much higher levels of LDL and much lower levels of HDL, compared to people who abstain or those who drink in moderation. 

 
 










Colette Morris SAC Dipl. (Diet &Nutrition)   
Herbalife Shop - http://healthyweightloss.herbalcoach.com/

Colette Morris is a qualified Nutritionist and Herbalife Independent Distributor so if you want advice on your diet for weight loss, weight gain or sports nutrition, email LondonFitGirlsClub@gmail.com  or simply click on the tab here  to join our program.