All About Cholesterol
Information guide, to help your understanding of Cholesterol
Cholesterol...
To easier explain your knowledge on LDL and HDL its best to know the basis, what is cholesterol. Well cholesterol is a compound of sterol type found in your body tissue. That can include your blood and nerves. High concentrations in the blood can promote atherosclerosis. Atherosclerosis is a disease of the arteries defined by the deposition of plaques of fatty build up on their inner walls.
What LDL really is...
LDL is an abbreviation for, low-density lipoprotein and it is a substance made up of fat and protein, it carries cholesterol and fats in your blood. It carries cholesterol all the way from the liver then through the blood and then to the tissues of the body where it gets stored.
What HDL really is...
HDL is quite the opposite of LDl, it is abbreviation for high-density lipoprotein. Its a lipoprotein of blood plasma that is made up of a high proportion of protein with triglyceride and cholesterol and that is related with reduced risk of atherosclerosis. People consider this to be the "good one" but truth is neither are good or bad as long as they are limited.
The difference in LDL and HDL
LDL and HDL both carry cholesterol in the blood, but the difference between the two is they where they deliver the cholesterol, they carry it to different parts of your body. LDL , the main carriers of cholesterol take cholesterol to cells throughout your body and can cause cholesterol to buildup within your arteries. Buildup can lead to arterial blockage and increase heart problems. HDl on the other hand, can benefit your health because these particles carry cholesterol away from your heart and other organs and deliver it back to your liver, where it is passed from your body. Doctors monitor this because if you don' t it could lead to heart risks. HDL and LDl both have different structures too, the main difference being is the composition.
What LDL and HDL can do...
High levels of LDL cholesterol lead to atherosclerosis, heart risks and strokes increasing the risk of a heart attack and ischemic stroke. HDL cholesterol can reduce then risk of cardiovascular disease as it carries cholesterol away from the blood stream. Thats where people it the good and bad descriptions from but just remeber as long as you limit neither are bad or good.
Monitoring molecules...
Other molecules monitored along with LDL and HDL in a patient's blood include triglycerides, high density lipoproteins and low density lipoproteins. Triglycerides are types of a fat found in the bloodstream inside of cholesterol molecules, meaning, high levels could increase risk for heart disease.
Cholesterol Test
The test shows your cholesterol levels in milligrams per deciliter of blood (mg/dL). Your total cholesterol and HDL cholesterol are among many things your doctor can use to predict your lifetime or 10-year risk for a heart attack or stroke.
To Lower LDL and HDL
Many things can lower your levels of LDL and HDH. A healthy diet and low fat intake and cholesterol will increase HDL levels and decrease LDL levels. Exercising can increase your HDL by 5%. Must work out for thirty minutes a day for five weeks. Every six pounds that are lost can increase HDL by one and lower LDL by one. Medication can also be used and can help.
Affects of Fats
With saturated fats they will raise your LDL levels. Not in taking saturated fats and trans fats will help to lower total cholesterol and LDL levels. Eating a diet containing many saturated and trans fat will also raise cholesterol and LDL levels. Trans fat can cause heart attacks because they stick to the blood vessels causing blood flow to decrease. A diet high in saturated fats is the main cause of high-blood cholesterol levels, but a high-cholesterol diet can also raise cholesterol levels.