Il cholesterol is an organic compound that belongs to the family of steroid lipids and which carries out many biological functions in our organism, important and fundamental: it is a component of cell membranes, whose fluidity and permeability it regulates well; is the forerunner of the vitamin Dbile salts and steroid hormones (both male and female – testosterone, progesterone, estradiol, cortisol, etc.).
Although cholesterol plays this very important biological role, when it circulates in our blood in concentrations higher than the norm it becomes a bitter enemy for our health. Like all the most formidable opponents, the high cholesterol however, it can only be defeated by knowing it thoroughly and using this information in order to develop adequate defensive and counterattack strategies. Hypercholesterolemia (i.e. a level of cholesterol in the blood that goes over 240 mg / dl) is a condition that in the last 10 years has been much more on the rise in both sexes: it affects 38% of Italians against 24% of the years between 1998 and 2002.
The most important role in controlling cholesterol levels, however, belongs to diet: all foods of vegetable origin and the consumption of very few fats are, in fact, the best prevention even if the importance of a correct lifestyle and regular physical activity should not be forgotten either. To help you in this complex “mission” we have therefore decided to show you what the foods which is fine avoid completely in case you were dealing with high cholesterol.
Avoid:
–Animal fats like butter, lard, lard and cream;
– Any type of saturated vegetable oil such as palm and rapeseed;
– Offal (such as liver, brain, kidneys), and sausages with a high content of saturated fats.
Sausages and preserved meats should in fact be consumed as little as possible not only with a view to cardiovascular prevention but also for the prevention of various cancers.
– Whole or condensed milk, whole yogurt and all those cheeses with a high content of saturated fats;
-The alcoholic beverages (especially in cases of hypercholesterolemia associated with hypertriglyceridemia);
-Simple sugars such as glucose, sucrose and above all industrial fructose.
In addition to eliminating these foods, it would also be good to lead a healthy lifestyle, here are some tips:
–not smokingas smoking lowers good cholesterol levels;
-practicing physical activity, preferably aerobic sports, such as cycling, aerobic gymnastics, basketball, dancing, swimming, football, volleyball and brisk walking.
– eliminate excess kilos, reaching lower values of 80 cm for women and 94 cm for men.