First, what exactly is cholesterol?
Cholesterol is a lipid that plays an important physiological role in the human body. However, if the cholesterol level in the blood is too high, it will increase the risk of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases. Hypercholesterolemia usually has no obvious symptoms, but long-term high cholesterol levels can lead to atherosclerosis, coronary heart disease, myocardial infarction, stroke and other serious diseases.
What
causes high cholesterol?
1. Bad eating habits: excessive intake of saturated fat and trans fat, such as animal viscera, fried food, pastries, etc.; lack of dietary fiber, such as vegetables, fruits, whole grains, etc.
2. Lack of exercise: sedentary for a long time, the body’s metabolic rate is reduced, which can easily lead to elevated cholesterol.
3. Genetic factors: Some familial hypercholesterolemia is caused by genetic factors.
4. Other diseases, such as diabetes, hypothyroidism and nephrotic syndrome, may also lead to elevated cholesterol.
Among them, “bad” cholesterol is the real “culprit”
of cardiovascular disease.
“Bad” cholesterol is like a “killer” lurking in blood vessels, which can slowly deposit in blood vessels, form atherosclerotic plaques, block blood vessels, and form atherosclerosis step by step, leading to cardiovascular disease. ..
Therefore, prevention of cardiovascular disease and control of “bad” cholesterol are key, and the lower the “bad” cholesterol level, the lower the risk of cardiovascular disease: 24% reduction in the risk of major coronary events; 24% reduction in the risk of coronary revascularization; and 15%
reduction in the risk of stroke
4. To control “bad” cholesterol, we must first understand how cholesterol is produced.
The vast majority of
human cholesterol is “self-produced”
About 2/3 of cholesterol is synthesized by the body (liver); about 1/3 of cholesterol is obtained
from food
It can be seen that controlling cholesterol mainly reduces the synthesis of cholesterol
in the liver.
5. What are the cholesterol-lowering drugs?
Cholesterol-lowering drugs
The common cholesterol-lowering drugs in
clinic are statins, fibrates, ezetimibe and so on. Drug therapy should be carried out under the guidance of doctors, and the side effects of drugs should be monitored.
Statin therapy focuses on the risk
of ischemic heart disease after long-term adherence to statins for a longer period of time.
6. Measures
to prevent high cholesterol
1. Healthy eating
• Control your fat intake: Cut down on saturated and trans fats and choose foods that are low in fat and high in fiber. Such as lean meat, fish, beans, vegetables, fruits, whole grains and so on.
• Increase dietary fiber intake: Dietary fiber can reduce cholesterol levels. Eat more foods rich in dietary fiber, such as oats, brown rice, beans, vegetables, fruits, etc.
• Control cholesterol intake: The daily intake of cholesterol should be controlled below 300 mg. Eat less cholesterol-rich foods such as animal viscera, egg yolk and crab eggs.
• Moderate intake of unsaturated fats: such as olive oil, fish oil, etc., can help lower cholesterol levels.
2. Moderate exercise
• Insist on aerobic exercise: such as walking, jogging, swimming, cycling, etc., at least 150 minutes of moderate intensity aerobic exercise per week.
• Increase strength training: Proper strength training, such as lifting weights and push-ups, can increase the body’s metabolic rate and help reduce cholesterol levels.
3. Weight
control
• Maintain a reasonable weight: control your weight within the normal range through a healthy diet and moderate exercise. Body mass index (BMI)
It should be controlled between 18.5 and 23.9.
• Avoid obesity: Obesity is one of the important risk factors for hypercholesterolemia, and obesity can lead to elevated cholesterol.
4. Quit smoking and limit alcohol
.
• Stop smoking: Smoking can damage the endothelial cells of blood vessels, causing cholesterol to rise. Smoking cessation can reduce the risk of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases.
• Limit alcohol consumption: Excessive drinking can raise cholesterol levels, and men should drink no more than two drinks a day and women should drink no more than one drink a day.
5. Regular physical examination
• Get regular blood fat checks: Know your cholesterol levels, find problems and take action.
• Pay attention to other health indicators: such as blood pressure, blood sugar, weight, etc., which are also closely related to cholesterol levels.
Hypercholesterolemia is a common metabolic disease, which is harmful to health. Hypercholesterolemia can be effectively prevented and controlled by healthy diet, moderate exercise, weight control, smoking cessation and alcohol restriction, and regular physical examination. If cholesterol levels are found to be elevated, they should seek medical treatment in time and take reasonable treatment measures to reduce the risk of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases.
