Do you suffer from high cholesterol and don’t know how to cure yourself? Especially at a certain age, the presence of bad cholesterol can compromise health.
Il high cholesterol it is a condition that in the last 10 years has been particularly growing in both sexes: it affects 38% of Italians against 24% in 1998-2002.
What is cholesterol
For the uninitiated, cholesterol is a fat – largely produced by the body and minimally introduced in the diet. It is used to:
- the process of digestionthanks to the formation of bile;
- participates in the production of vitamin D,
- protects bone health
- favors the cell wall construction, in particular of the nervous system; is the precursor of hormones such as testosterone they estrogen.
It is transported in the blood by means of specific lipoproteins which differ according to size and density: therefore we distinguish the cholesterol linked to low density lipoprotein (LDL), so-called “bad” because it can deposit in the walls of the arteries. Good cholesterol is produced by our body and taken from food. Now, it can happen that you have hypercholesterolemia, so you have an imbalance that must absolutely be taken care of.
How is it treated? you are wondering? even with drugs, but first you need to change your lifestyle!
Proper lifestyle
Experts say the Mediterranean diet it is able to positively affect blood cholesterol levels and become an effective weapon to defend against an increase in the bad one.
Here’s what and how much to eat:
- Vegetables, cereals and legumes: in setting up a diet it is therefore good practice to focus above all on the consumption of these plant foods. In particular, it is good to eat legumes 2 to 4 times a week, which help maintain adequate cholesterol levels. Fruit twice a day and vegetables at least in main meals.
- Less fat: we don’t just mean oil, but eliminating saturated fats or at least reducing them is important. Opt for extra virgin olive oil, maximum 15 grams per day.
- Blue fish: due to the particular composition of its fat, it can also be consumed by those with cholesterol problems. Indeed, a consumption of at least 2-3 times a week helps to lower bad cholesterol. In addition, omega 3 also helps to keep memory and concentration active.
- White meat: green light to chicken and turkey, healthy and rich in proteins, they help the body and also accelerate the metabolism.
We talked about diet, but a proper lifestyle also refers to staying active during the day, avoiding smoking and too much alcohol! With these tips and medical treatment you can defeat hypercholesterolemia.