Where
does
cholesterol in your blood come from
Cholesterol
gets a bad rap, when in fact it is needed for many body functions. The
body has
the ability to make all the cholesterol a person needs. Only animal
products
that we eat like dairy products – whole milk, ice cream and
butter – beef,
chicken, eggs, etc have cholesterol. Plants don’t produce
cholesterol, so if we
eat fruits, vegetables, and nuts, and use vegetable oils to cook with,
we do
not receive cholesterol from these sources.
So
cholesterol comes from animal foods and is produced within our bodies.
Many
cells within our bodies can produce cholesterol. The liver wraps
particles of
cholesterol into protein sheaths. These are called LDL (low-density
lipoproteins). These particles are placed in the bloodstream and are
delivered
to cells that need them. HDL (high-density lipoproteins) particles are
used to
clean the arteries of the cholesterol that is not needed. If the
supply of
HDL particles is not enough to keep the circulatory system free of
loose cholesterol that is delivered by LDL
particles, the LDL particles may combine with other more damaging
particles
(free radicals) and penetrate the artery-cell wall hastening hardening
of the
arteries (atherosclerosis) and heart disease.
It is possible that our bodies may
overproduce and place too many LDLs in our blood. Or, on the other
hand, our
collection system for cholesterol (HDLs) may not be in sufficient
number to
work efficiently and the LDLs accumulate in the blood. In either case,
some persons
are genetically predisposed to high levels of blood cholesterol. If
your father
or paternal grandparents or mother or maternal grandparents died of
heart
disease – it is possible that you have the genetic code
– check with your
doctor.
Otherwise,
cholesterol accumulation
in the blood may come from:
1)
Obesity
2)
Lack of regular exercise
3)
A diet of foods high in
saturated fat
The easiest
way to lower cholesterol is by regular aerobic exercise and keeping
your weight
down. Stay away from fatty, fast foods and eat a diet closer to nature
– lots of
fresh fruits and vegetables and small (4 ounce) cuts of meat.
You’ll feel
better and your heart and arteries will love you for it.
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