Diet To Lower Cholesterol: An Explanation On What Is Cholesterol
Many people understand that cholesterol is either bad for you or good but beyond that, they do not understand just exactly what is cholesterol. Doctors will give you a long explanation which only they can comprehend but cholesterol can be simplified in one statement. Cholesterol is a waxy material that the liver fabricates which is carries out a number of responsibilities for the health of our bodies.
As we consume foods in our daily diet, our liver takes portions of it and turns it into cholesterol which has an important job which is to building cell walls, producing vitamin D, and to create bile salts which help digest that fat we consume. So why would we worry about consuming too much cholesterol? Essentially because anything we produce in large quantities is bad for us. If we can be aware of just what is cholesterol, then we can learn to watch what we eat on a daily basis.
The Bad Cholesterol Verses The Good Cholesterol.
One easy way to watch our cholesterol level is to understand what foods that we eat in our daily diet which produce the good cholesterol bad cholesterol. Foods that carry animal fat such as dairy and meats carry bad cholesterol, Foods such as vegetables, fruits, and whole grains carry no cholesterol at all.
Too much bad cholesterol in our system can lead to blocked arteries which is very bad. When our arteries are blocked it prevents our blood from flowing, which is very bad for our health.
Good cholesterol on the other hand has a very good job that keeps our body healthy. Its main job is to carry the excess cholesterol back to the liver so bile salts can be created to carry it out of our system.
What Can Cause Us To Get High Cholesterol?
When people ask their doctor about their cholesterol level, it usually pertains to a high cholesterol level. There are a number of reasons that we can develop high cholesterol and one most important factor is age. The older we get the more likely we are to develop a high cholesterol level.
There are many possible reasons that we have high cholesterol levels in our body. One reason may be hereditary. If this is the cause then you need to consult your doctor and get tested to determine if you also have high cholesterol. Another reason is physical activity. The more we exercise, the higher the levels of the good cholesterol will get within our system.
When we are determining what is cholesterol, and examining the causes and treatments, we often find that there is a direct link to our cholesterol levels and the food we eat on a daily basis. By eating foods rich in fiber, fruits, vegetables, fish and beans we can help keep the cholesterol in our body low and thus have a healthier life. By trying to avoid eating foods like meat and dairy that make our cholesterol levels high, we can also have a healthier life.