When its blood levels are too high, cholesterol is rightfully considered one of the main enemies
health, because depositing on the wall of the arteries causes lesions that thicken and stiffen them: a process called atherosclerosis which over time leads to the formation of fatty deposits, called atherosclerotic plaques, which by hindering or blocking blood flow can cause heart attack and stroke.
It should not be demonized
But cholesterol should not always be demonized and we must not tend to reduce it too much as it is an indispensable substance for many vital functions of the body and represents the basic component of important hormones, including testosterone, cortisol and estrogen, as well as of vitamin D and bile, necessary to assimilate fats from the intestine. Cholesterol is also used for the construction of the cell wall, in particular of the nervous system, to which it gives the right degree of flexibility and permeability.
There are two types of cholesterol depending on the two types of proteins of different density that carry it in the blood, LDL (low density lipoprotein) and HDL (high density lipoprotein). The difference between the two transporter proteins is linked to the fact that LDL has a tendency to “stick” to the walls of the arteries, making them stiff and prone to breaking (for this reason LDL cholesterol is called “bad”) while HDL, not having these characteristics, it is beneficial and protective for the arteries.
According to the Higher Institute of Health to prevent diseases, total cholesterol values below 200 mg / dl are optimal with LDL below 100 mg / dl and HDL equal to or greater than 50 mg / dl. When the total cholesterol is too high and the ratio between HDL and LDL is unbalanced we speak of hypercholesterolemia which can be hereditary or familial (associated with a series of genetic mutations), linked to the diet (too many calories, too many saturated or trans fats, too many simple sugars), diseases such as diabetes, endocrine problems of the thyroid gland or poor physical activity.
Lifestyle
When you have high cholesterol you immediately think about food and which foods to reduce or eliminate, not considering that only 20 percent of cholesterol is introduced through food, while as much as 80 percent is endogenous, that is, it is synthesized by our body. .
Nutrition should therefore not be demonized too much, but more attention should be paid to lifestyles. A healthy organism produces cholesterol according to how much of it is introduced with the diet: the more we take in cholesterol from the diet, the less we produce and vice versa, in order to maintain the right balance of this molecule in our body.
However, some long-term incorrect behaviors, such as a wrong lifestyle or excessive nutrition, can alter this mechanism as well as a car that starts to malfunction when the wrong fuel is used.
The advices
So what to do to keep cholesterol within normal limits?
Starting from nutrition, the guidelines of the American Hearth Association recommend a diet that includes an abundant intake of vegetables, fruits, legumes, nuts and oil seeds, whole grains rich in fiber that reduce the absorption of cholesterol, inhibit its hepatic synthesis and their elimination, the consumption of oily fish rich in “good” omega 3 fats, lean meats and the replacement of saturated fats such as fried cured meats and cheeses with mono or polyunsaturated fats such as olive oil increases good HDL cholesterol.
Also important is the minimization of salt and processed meats, sugar, refined carbohydrates, sweets and sugary drinks which by stimulating the production of insulin induce an increase in the hepatic synthesis of cholesterol; the elimination of trans fats that are found in industrial and heavily processed products and are formed by cooking fats at high temperatures and hydrogenated fats used as ingredients in various food industry products and easily identifiable by reading the labels, as the hydrogenation must always be declared by the manufacturer.
Also avoid overweight and especially fat in the abdominal area, do not smoke and practice
daily physical activity that increases “good” cholesterol at the expense of “bad” cholesterol, preferably practicing aerobic activities such as brisk walking, cycling, running or swimming.
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