Cholesterol is a fat-like substance that circulates in your blood. This waxy, fat-like substance is made in the body by your liver. You must have heard about how bad cholesterol is for your body. However, the truth is that cholesterol forms a part of each and every cell and performs many vital functions.
Functions
The truth is that certain amount of cholesterol is essential for the proper functioning of our body. Cholesterol is needed by our bodies to-
• Maintain the health of cell walls
• Make steroid hormones like estrogen and testosterone
• Insulate neurons
• Help liver make bile acids which help in fat digestion
Well, we know that cholesterol is fat-like and that our blood is watery. So how do they mix? In order for cholesterol to travel through the bloodstream, it forms small packages called as lipoproteins. These small packages of lipoproteins are fat on the inside and proteins on the outside.
The Good And The Bad
There are two types of lipoproteins that carry cholesterol in your body. Low-density lipoproteins (LDL) cholesterol is the bad type of cholesterol. The higher the LDL cholesterol level in your body, the higher are your chances of getting a heart disease. This is because LDL cholesterol leads to cholesterol buildup in the arteries.
The good type of cholesterol is known as High-density lipoprotein (HDL). HDL carries cholesterol from other parts of your body to your liver, which then removes it from your body. In other words, HDL helps flush out extra cholesterol from your body. This means that higher the HDL levels in your body, the lesser would be the risk of your getting a heart disease.
High Cholesterol Level
So now we know that we need cholesterol but then why is there all the fuss about high cholesterol level. The problem arises when our body makes more cholesterol than it needs. Obviously, this extra cholesterol circulates in the blood and ends up clogging blood vessels.
How do we end up with extra cholesterol in our bodies? The answer partially lies in what you eat. Eating too much saturated fat leads to a high cholesterol level. Saturated fat is found in meat and dairy products. Fruits, vegetables, and grains do not contain cholesterol.
In some people, high cholesterol could be due to their genetic make-up. A genetic condition called hypercholesterolemia makes some people prone to high cholesterol level. If diabetes runs in your family, then there is a high chance that you might inherit high triglyceride levels. Triglyceride is a type of blood fat that pushes up the cholesterol level.
Sometimes the genetic makeup of a person makes them more prone to reacting to lifestyle factors like high fat diet and lack of exercise. These types of people quickly put on weight and get high cholesterol.
Cholesterol Readings
Since high cholesterol is associated with heart disease, you should keep a check on your cholesterol level. Adults should have their cholesterol level checked atleast every five years.
Blood cholesterol level reading
• Below 180 ml/dl means that your blood cholesterol level is ideal. You should maintain it at this level.
• Reading of 180-199 ml/dl is acceptable.
• Reading of 200-219 ml/dl means that your blood cholesterol is bordering high. You should bring it down.
• Reading of 220 ml/dl or higher is too high.
If your blood cholesterol level reading shows up 200 ml/dl and above, you should find out which type of cholesterol is high in your body. The ideal HDL cholesterol level in your body is over 50. If it is between 36 and 50, then it is acceptable. If HDL cholesterol level is below 35, then it is too low.
If LDL cholesterol level in your blood is 160 or greater, then it is too high. When LDL cholesterol level is 130 or less, it is ideal. Reading between130 to 159 is bordering high level.
Once you know which type of cholesterol is high in your body, you should consult a doctor to seek advice on how to bring it down.