CHOLESTEROL: FRIEND & FOE...
Now I understood why I kept experiencing the shortness of breath, constant palpitations etc... I was slowly dying...
I knew I had to know what this was about as the doctor's final words were'' change your lifestyle and exercise more''.
We began to perform weekly exercises and dietary plans. Usually not everyone is good at enforcing changes in habits alone so that made the whole group thingy a pleasant thing.
Till date we still carry out the joint fitness exercises weekly and its amazing how much tremendous changes we've all experienced.
What are the ''bad cholesterol'' and good ''cholesterol''?
At work it was pure bliss to indulge in all manner of food. From pizzas to Ice creams to all manner of fatty foods - cakes, beefs, sausages, bacon etc and this was pure heaven ...... Looking pretty on the outside but dying slowly on the inside.
Now you must understand that our bodies needs some cholesterol to make hormones, vitamin D and substances that help you digest your food and they (our bodies) make all the cholesterol they need and so therefore Eating some of these foods only add to the levels of cholesterol in your body because our bodies are constantly producing these waxy fat-like substance without our permission.
These cholesterol are fat soluble and as such does not dissolve in water (blood) so they are carried around the body in the blood by lipo-proteins. Two kinds of lipo-proteins carry cholesterol throughout the body: low-density lipo-proteins (LDL) and high-density lipoproteins (HDL)
Having healthy levels of both types of lipo-proteins is important.But the ability to strike the balance is a major problem for us individuals.
LDL cholesterol are called “bad” cholesterol. It acts like a fat delivery truck. It picks up cholesterol from the liver and delivers it to the cells. When more cholesterol is ready for delivery than the cells can take, LDL cholesterol drops off the extra cholesterol on the artery walls.A high LDL level leads to a buildup of cholesterol in your arteries. (Arteries are blood vessels that carry blood from your heart to your body.)
HDL cholesterol are called “good” cholesterol. This is because it carries cholesterol from other parts of your body back to your liver. Your liver removes the cholesterol from your body. It works like a garbage truck. It removes bad cholesterol from the blood vessels and takes it to the liver where it is broken down.
Now the funny thing about High blood cholesterol levels is that lots of people with this condition walk around without knowing it as the condition usually has no signs or symptoms.
People who have high blood cholesterol levels are more prone to heart disease which is a condition in which the plaque( A mixture of fat, cholesterol, calcium and other substances) builds up in the heart arteries thus obstructing the flow of oxygen-rich blood through the artery.
To reduce your cholesterol levels, you need to change your lifestyle. As an individual, at my diagnosis, I started with a detoxification process which involved a fruit diet for over 3 weeks after which I began to eat healthy- Healthy Salads, Basmatic rice, vegetable soups, Fruits such as pawpaw (hard ), grapes, avocados, watermelons, apples, carrots, cucumber, oats, granola and unsweetened culture-based yogurts. Having a handful of Nuts everyday is also great. Substitute your meat for fish and go low on dairy products.
You change the oil in your car every 3,000 miles. You listen for any rattle or ping coming from under the hood. You rotate the tires, and check your air pressure on a meticulous schedule. You wouldn't dream of skipping a routine maintenance on the vehicle that gets you to work, shuttles your kids, and takes you out of town.
But another important vehicle often gets neglected: your heart. Far more complex than a car-and much more difficult to replace-your heart has systems that need routine checks and maintenance to make sure it keeps running.
So think of your heart as an engine in a car. With good care and maintenance, you'll be able to keep it running for a very long time.
In addition to changing your diet, making other heart-healthy lifestyle changes such as quitting smoking and alcohol, exercising and maintaining a healthy weight is key to keeping your cholesterol at healthy levels.
Lets make it a date today... Get your cholesterol levels tested and lets know what your LDL, HDL,VLDL and Trigliceride figures are!!
Share your experiences, lets know what your test results says... We need to keep this engine running for a very long time *winks*
LIVING HEALTHY.......
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