What is cholesterol?
Cholesterol is a fat-like substance found in the membranes of animal cells and also transported in the blood plasma, which has a number of functions in the body, particularly the endocrine system and digestive system. Cholesterol, which is found in foods of animal origin and taken into the body by consuming these foods, is synthesized in many tissues in the body, especially in the liver, small intestine, adrenal glands and reproductive organs. Cholesterol, which is found in all body cells and one of the main components of the cell membrane, has many functions in the body. On the contrary, the level of cholesterol in the blood above normal paves the way for many diseases such as cardiovascular diseases and gall bladder diseases. Bad cholesterol accumulates in the blood and causes vascular occlusion by settling on the vascular walls. In addition, cholesterol that is higher than normal may combine with certain substances in the gallbladder and lead to gallstone formation.
What are the types of cholesterol?
The concept known among humans as the type of cholesterol is actually expressed in cholesterol, which carries a type of lipoprotein. In this regard, although there are many types of cholesterol-carrying lipoproteins, good cholesterol (HDL) and bad cholesterol (LDL) are the two most common types of cholesterol. HDL (high density lipoprotein), known as good cholesterol, allows cholesterol to be transported from tissues and vessels to the liver, thus preventing cholesterol accumulation in the vascular walls and preventing the occurrence of cardiovascular diseases. On the other hand, LDL (low density lipoprotein), known as bad cholesterol, is responsible for transporting the cholesterol in the tissue to the needed areas in the body. However, the increase in the level of LDL in the blood causes cholesterol to accumulate in the vessels, leading to the formation of cardiovascular diseases and therefore it is called bad cholesterol. Other than HDL and LDL, other types of cholesterol:
VLDL (very low density lipoprotein): It plays a role in the transport of lipid groups in the liver to lubricate tissues and muscles.
Chylomicrons: Collomicrons, the largest volume lipoprotein group, transport cholesterol and lipids from the intestine to the liver.
Triglycerides: The form in which the fats found in body cells are stored are called triglycerides.
Lipids: They are the components formed as a result of the reaction with oxygen by cleansing the oils from the oil.
What should the cholesterol values be?
It is very important to keep blood cholesterol levels within normal limits in order to maintain health and reduce the chance of developing cardiovascular diseases. In a healthy person, the blood LDL level is below 130 mg / dL, the total cholesterol is below 200 mg / dL, the triglyceride level is below 150 mg / dL, and the HDL level is 40 mg / dL and 50 mg / dL in women. men. must be done. If it is detected as a result of blood tests, if cholesterol and triglyceride levels are outside the specified ranges, the cause of this condition should be determined and the treatment plan should be implemented accordingly.
Why does cholesterol go up?
There are two different reasons why the cholesterol level in the blood is above normal. The first is that the amount of cholesterol taken into the body through diet is high. Cholesterol is taken into the body with foods of animal origin. Excessive consumption of animal origin foods, frequent consumption of trans foods and fries containing trans fats, and excessive use of animal fats can cause high cholesterol intake in the body. In addition to the cholesterol taken with food, cholesterol is synthesized in the body. Therefore, the second reason why cholesterol increases is high endogenous cholesterol production in the body. Although research on the causes of high cholesterol production in the body continues, it is known that high cholesterol (hyperlipidemia) is closely related to overweight and genetic predisposition. People with a family history of hyperlipidemia can still have cholesterol levels despite their ideal weight and a healthy diet.
Cholesterol symptoms
High cholesterol manifests itself with some symptoms due to the diseases it causes, in addition to some symptoms caused by its increased level in the blood. The most common of these symptoms can be listed as follows:
- Yellow oil glands on the face and especially around the eyes
- Chest pain
- Weakness and fatigue
- Pain, numbness in feet and legs
- Dizziness
- Late healing of wounds
- Pale looking skin
- Shortness of breath
- Fat accumulation under the skin
- Skin spots
- Bruises in some parts of the body
How to lower cholesterol
In people with high blood cholesterol levels, a cholesterol-lowering treatment plan should be initiated immediately to prevent vascular stiffness, vascular occlusion and further cardiovascular disease. Statin group drugs, known as cholesterol drugs, are often included in the treatment administered by doctors to reduce cholesterol in patients with hyperlipidemia. Whether drug therapy is necessary is determined by the doctor, taking into account how high blood cholesterol and triglyceride levels are. Besides medication, the most important step of the treatment plan in cholesterol patients is diet. Normally, the amount of cholesterol taken into the body with nutrients is aimed to be below 300 mg in healthy individuals. In hyperlipidemia patients, a diet plan should be followed and the cholesterol content of the diet should be reduced to less than 300 mg according to the blood cholesterol level and to 200-250 mg if the blood cholesterol level is too high.
Cholesterol diet
Considering the physician’s recommendations, a diet plan prepared by a dietician is intended to reduce the amount of cholesterol taken into the body through diet, thus reducing the high cholesterol level in the blood to normal. Since all cholesterol is taken into the body with animal origin foods and animal fats, the cholesterol diet is prepared by distributing these foods in a balanced way. With this diet, the amount of cholesterol taken daily can be kept below 300 mg. The basic principles of the diet are the choice of semi-skimmed or non-fat milk and dairy products, the consumption of foods containing Omega 3 and Omega 9 fatty acids that help balance cholesterol levels, and less consumption of red meat. Selection of skin-rich portions of chicken meat 1-2 days a week. between. People who follow a cholesterol diet should not consume fast food products that contain trans fatty acids that increase cholesterol levels and cause many damages to the body. While fats of animal origin such as butter and lard are excluded from the diet, the consumption of fresh vegetables and fruits is emphasized.
In the scientific world, there are many different opinions about eggs, a widely discussed food in cholesterol diets. However, in recent studies, it has been emphasized that despite the high cholesterol content of eggs, it does not provide a blood cholesterol-enhancing effect due to its balanced fatty acid pattern. For this reason, it is stated that eggs with high protein quality and nutritiousness do not have any problem in the consumption of cholesterol diets 2-3 times a week. If you are a person diagnosed with high cholesterol, you should apply to a healthcare facility and have routine blood tests done regularly and take care to follow your treatment plan in line with your doctor’s recommendations.
