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Cholesterol and Heart: Not a Healthy Combination?
All sorts of myths are circulating cholesterol, the blood fat that the Heart health can, but does not have to, damage. But in what context Cholesterol and heart? How can you do that heart strengthen and what role it plays cholesterol included? The article also holds tips for improved cholesterol and the Heart health ready.
Cholesterol and Heart: A Question of Balance
The heart is the engine for an active life. The entire cardiovascular system works almost tirelessly day and night and contributes to supplying every cell in the body with important nutrients. This also includes that cholesterol, a substance that many only talk about when it shows negative effects. It is a fat, is largely produced by the body itself and also ingested through food.
Some people have high cholesterol. That is exactly what it can do heart as well as affect their health in the long term. Is the balance of the body’s own Cholesterol and Food intake is out of balance and the blood lipid level is permanently too high, is a so-called Hypercholesterolemia before. But are Cholesterol and heart really not a healthy combination or has cholesterol also have a positive benefit for that Heart health?
Cholesterol: Heart and Health Effects
If the overall cholesterol level is too high, it can have adverse effects on the heart. The difficulty with this is that it does not trigger any specific symptoms at first and therefore doctors often diagnose it late. By an excess of cholesterol deposits are formed on the vessel walls, which in turn result in the heart self and damage the vascular system1.
cholesterol However, as an endogenous substance, it also has a positive benefit for the heart, because blood fat is an elementary component of all cell walls. It participates in metabolic processes and ensures the formation of hormones2. This makes it clear that the vital fat has such a bad reputation, at least partially wrongly.
So that the blood fat gets to the right place in the body via the bloodstream, it is packed together with proteins in so-called lipoproteins. A distinction is to be made here: LDL cholesterol and HDL cholesterol.
LDL cholesterol
LDL means low density lipoprotein. LDL cholesterol has the function cholesterol from the liver via the blood vessels to all cells in the body. If there is an excess, the fat can remain in the bloodstream and collect on the vessel walls. Once started, such deposits can grow rapidly and eventually occlude the blood vessel3.
High values of the LDL cholesterol increase the risk of developing cardiovascular problems4th. Because of this, it is popularly called bad or dangerous cholesterol known. For orientation, the following applies: The LDL-Content should stay below 130 milligrams per deciliter if possible5.
HDL cholesterol
In contrast to the LDL is this HDL cholesterol (High Density Lipoprotein) one with high density. HDL transports used cholesterol back to the liver. It also has the ability to handle unnecessary items cholesterol to collect in the vessels. HDL can therefore help to protect against the above-mentioned deposits and thus the Heart health to obtain6th.
Since that HDL rather has a positive effect on the cardiovascular system, doctors also call it a good one cholesterol7th. The value should always be over 40 milliliters per deciliter for men and over 50 for women8th.
Your lifestyle keeps your cholesterol and heart healthy
The good news is that everyone can usually actively do a lot to achieve the balance of their own body Cholesterol and Food intake for that heart keep in balance. Even small changes in everyday life lead to a healthier lifestyle that is good for the cardiovascular system:
- Give preference to plant-based foods – there should be at least five colorful servings of vegetables and fruits per day9.
- For cereal products, choose the whole grain variant.
- Reduce the consumption of meat and sausage to 300 to 600 grams per week10.
- Consume omega-3 fatty acids regularly (for example from salmon, herring or mackerel).
- Use animal fats sparingly and give preference to vegetable oils such as linseed and rapeseed oil. Fats from nuts, seeds and seeds, like wheat germ or olive oil, are also recommended.
- Reduce your intake of added sugar and highly processed foods.
- Choose gentle cooking methods (such as stewing)11.
Exercise and relaxation can still be counted as part of a heart-healthy lifestyle. No top sporting performance is necessary here. Regular moderate exercise is sufficient for heart health. Organize your everyday life actively, exercise outdoors in nature and challenge your body once and for all. This strengthens the muscles and the performance of the heart and also prevents the development of diseases12th.
Choose a form of movement that you enjoy and complement this with suitable relaxation techniques. Counter the stress of everyday life through conscious breathing exercises, gentle movement and regular islands of calm13.
1German Heart Foundation V .: What is cholesterol? Url: https://www.herzstiftung.de/ihre-herzgesundheit/gesund-bleiben/cholesterin/was-ist-cholesterin (10/12/2021).
2ibid.
3Health Knowledge Foundation: What are high cholesterol levels? Url: https://www.stiftung-gesundheitswissen.de/wissen/erhoehte-cholesterinwerte/ Background (10/12/2021).
4thFoundation for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care, incorporated foundation under civil law: Elevated cholesterol levels. Url: https://www.gesundheitsinformation.de/erhoehte-cholesterinwerte.html (15.10.2021).
5ibid.
6thHealth Knowledge Foundation: What are high cholesterol levels? Url: https://www.stiftung-gesundheitswissen.de/wissen/erhoehte-cholesterinwerte/ Background (10/12/2021).
7thFoundation for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care, incorporated foundation under civil law: Elevated cholesterol levels. Url: https://www.gesundheitsinformation.de/erhoehte-cholesterinwerte.html (15.10.2021).
8thibid.
9German Nutrition Society V .: Eat and drink whole foods according to the 10 rules of the DGE. Url: https://www.dge.de/ernaehrungspraxis/vollwert-ernaehrung/10-regel-der-dge/ (15.10.2021).
10ibid.
11Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technical University of Munich: Eating and drinking with hypercholesterolemia. Url: https://www.mri.tum.de/sites/default/files/institutionen/mer_pi_essen_und_trinken_bei_hypercholesterinaemie_200325.pdf (10/12/2021).
12thGerman Heart Foundation V .: Sport and physical inactivity URL: https://www.herzstiftung.de/ihre-herzgesundheit/gesund-bleiben/sport-und-bewegungungsmangel (10/12/2021).
13German Heart Foundation V .: Psyche and stress: this is how you protect your heart! Url:
https://www.herzstiftung.de/ihre-herzgesundheit/gesund-bleiben/psyche-und-stress
(15.10.2021).