What Is Cholesterol? Distinguish Good Cholesterol and Bad

This updated guide examines What Is Cholesterol? Distinguish Good Cholesterol and Bad and organizes the essential facts, background, and practical takeaways in clear American English.

Concept What is cholesterol?

Cholesterol is known to be a component of blood lipids, and they have important roles in most body activities. Specifically, cholesterol is an indispensable factor in the activity of nerve cells. At the same time they also contribute to the production of certain hormones that help the body to function healthy and normal.

as many as 75% of blood cholesterol is produced from the liver and some other organs of the body, the rest is from the food source that people use every day.

Cholesterol in the blood is divided into two main categories: LDL - 'bad' cholesterol and HDL - 'good' cholesterol.

Distinguish bad cholesterol and good cholesterol in the body?

1. The difference between LDL and HDL

The basic difference between LDL and HDL is in their nature. While HDL is a type of cholesterol that is considered good for the body, LDL has not good effects.

HDL - Good cholesterol accounts for about 25-30% of blood cholesterol. They play a role in transporting cholesterol from the blood to the liver, while removing cholesterol from atherosclerotic plaques, limiting the risk of dangerous cardiovascular complications, so they are considered good cholesterol.

LDL - Bad cholesterol plays a role in transporting most cholesterol in the body. High levels of LDL in the blood will lead to deposition in the walls of blood vessels causing plaque. This is the reason that increases the risk of atherosclerosis and other serious cardiovascular events.

2. How good and bad should the cholesterol index be?

HDL is good cholesterol, so their blood levels are as high as possible, but optimal values are> 60 mg / dL.

As for LDL cholesterol should be limited to low blood levels, the optimal value is below 100 mg / dL.

How to know the index of LDL and HDL in the blood?

Blood tests can quantify cholesterol. The timing and frequency of testing is recommended by doctors based on age, risk factors and family history.

People under 19:

• The first test is about 9-11 years old
• Test again every 5 years
• Some children may be tested at age 2 if their family history has high blood fat, heart attack or stroke

People over 20:

• Young people should be tested every 5 years
• Men aged 45-65 years and women aged 55-65 years should have blood lipid test every 1-2 years

Or simply, you can equip a blood glucose meter with a function to measure blood cholesterol and cholesterol test strips to perform home-based measurements.

3. What factors affect good cholesterol and bad cholesterol in the body?

Bad LDL cholesterol levels can be increased by factors such as diet, harmful habits such as smoking, alcohol, not regular exercise. or some pathology such as hypertension, diabetes.

While good cholesterol index HDL may be reduced due to the habit of smoking, overweight and obesity.

4. How to keep good and bad cholesterol levels at an optimal level?

To maintain a good level of bad and good cholesterol in order not to cause physical effects, it is not easy. It requires patience and depends on many factors such as diet, resting regime, exercise regime.

To maintain blood cholesterol levels at an appropriate level, experts recommend that you do:

- Scientific diet

Should eat:

• More green, fruit
• Eat lots of grains
• Drink nonfat milk like fresh milk without sugar.
• Lean cuts of meat and poultry meat
• Fat fish
• Unsaturated vegetable oil such as olive oil, sunflower oil, canola oil.

Do not or need to limit eating:

• Types of margarine
• Animal fat or animal meat is high in fat
• Animal organs
• Fast-food and ready-to-cook foods
• High-fat, fried food.
• High-saturated fat vegetable oils such as coconut oil, palm oil, almond oil.

- Practice mode

• Choose sports that are suitable for your health, avoid exercising too much
• Only practice for 30 minutes every day
• Practice regularly

- Healthy life

• No smoking
• Avoid alcohol abuse
• Maintain a healthy weight to avoid overweight and obesity
• Avoid stress, stress

Hopefully, through this article, you will know what cholesterol is and how to distinguish good and bad cholesterol in your body. Maintain a healthy diet and activity to keep your cholesterol index stable and safe!

>> Reference:

• How to reduce blood cholesterol effectively?
• Top 7 foods that help reduce blood cholesterol best
• High cholesterol can make arthritis worse