Increased cholesterol is an epidemic of the 21st century. The reason? Inappropriate diet and lack of exercise. Therefore, it is worth checking if you have it in the normal range, thanks to which you will avoid serious diseases. If cholesterol levels are elevated, diet is usually enough to lower it.
Nothing hurts me, I feel good, why should I heal myself? Elevatedcholesteroldoes not last for a long time. That's why it's hard for us to believe that it builds up in the blood vessels, leading tocardiovascular disease , one of the leading causes of death in developed countries.
The cholesterol test will tell you the truth
Cholesterol quietly builds up in the arteries for years. Even a slim figure does not mean that we have it normal. Therefore, it is in our best interest to check your Total Cholesterol,LDLand HDL fractions on a regular basis. The first measurement should be done around the age of 20. If the result is correct - it is enough to repeat the test every 5 years. Women in their 50s and men in their 45s should have their cholesterol tested every year. If you have an elevated value or are at risk - as recommended by your doctor.
Cholesterol for children is checked when parents develop premature coronary artery disease. You need a referral from your GP for the examination. Privately, you have to pay about PLN 50 for the complete determination of cholesterol. The examination is virtually painless and quick - all you need to do is take blood from a vein. You must come to the laboratory on an empty stomach.
Increased cholesterol - usually on request
Increased cholesterol may be the result of the inborn absence or malfunction of all or half of the LDL lipoprotein receptors on the surface of hepatic cells, which are responsible for the absorption and breakdown of this fraction of cholesterol.
ImportantHow cholesterol plaque is formed
There is more bad cholesterol (LDL) than good cholesterol (HDL) in your body. It circulates in the blood in the form of tiny balls surrounded by a thin protein coating. Thanks to the delicate sheath, it easily penetrates into the bloodstream. It adheres to the inner walls of the vessels, creating a cholesterol plaque and initiating the development of atherosclerosis. Oxidation (rancidity) intensifies its harmful effects.
Whenall receptors fail, total cholesterol levels exceed 600 mg / dl, and advanced atherosclerosis occurs in early childhood (this severe disease affects 1 person in a million). In the case of impairment of some receptors, the total cholesterol usually exceeds 300 mg / dl, coronary artery disease appears between the ages of 40 and 50 (statistically, it affects 1 person in 500). Most often, however, we treat high cholesterol at our own request. When a genetic predisposition is combined with dietary mistakes, the risk of lipid disorders increases. Problems with cholesterol are favored by the unhe althy lifestyle that is common today. We have been overfed since childhood, we develop bad eating habits. Toddlers in prams are holding a cookie instead of an apple or a carrot. Why make your child a sandwich to school when it's easier to give money for a hamburger? We also like to eat in fast food restaurants ourselves, because we don't have time or inclination for home-made dinners. We are busy, stressed and comfortable. After work, we do not want to go for a walk or the pool, we prefer to rest on the couch in front of the TV. As a result of all this, the body cannot cope with fat management. For it to function flawlessly, the cholesterol delivered to the cells should be used up, and its excess should be carried away from the body by a good fraction. Unfortunately, the way we live causes this closed circle to be broken more and more often. Effect? For most of us, cholesterol is above the norm.
monthly "Zdrowie"