You would have all heard about cholesterol and the recommendations of changes in diets and prescribe medication associated with it. But the truth is that many people don’t understand cholesterol and its purpose in our body. To control your cholesterol you first need to know how it works.

Cholesterol is a lipid (fatty acid) that resides in the cell membranes of the human body.  Most cholesterol is actually synthesized in the body, but a good proportion of it is ingested as a section of food.

You have good cholesterol and bad cholesterol and the two kinds need to be differentiated between: Bad cholesterol, or LDL, has been associated to cardiovascular disease, heart attack and stroke if consumed at unhealthy levels.Good cholesterol, HDL,on the other hand, is responsible for important bodily functions.  HDL cholesterol helps to construct and maintain cell walls and performs other cell maintenance.

Controlling Cholesterol Through Diet: What Can You Do About It?

There are quite a few ways you can control your blood cholesterol levels.Cholesterol is not soluble in blood, so it sometimes takes a helping hand.  Most of these are basic routine changes that can have an enormous and helpful result on your cholesterol levels. The first is to look at controlling cholesterol through diet.

The most apparent ways are to select your diet carefully.  Foods that are high in fat have an inclination to lift cholesterol.  Do not cut out fats totally from your diets.  Look at selecting specific foods that are low in saturated fat but have a good amount of unsaturated fat.  The body physically requires a small amount of fat for key body functions.

Lean red meat and fish are both good choices and should be incorporated liberally into your diet.  They are high in protein, which helps to build muscle, and relatively low in fat content.  It’s also simple to choose dairy products that are low in fat, and such an alteration will make controlling your cholesterol much easier.

If after changing your diet or your cholesterol levels are often too high then it is advisable to consult your doctor. There are many drugs that can know control cholesterol avaiable.  And remember that with any new drug, it’s important to notify your healthcare professional about any additional medications that you are taking at the time.

The side effects of controlling cholesterol through drugs tend to be relatively mild, and will generally cease after your body adjusts to the new medication.

Tags: cholesterol and dieting, controlling cholesterol, controlling cholesterol through diet