Cardio-Vascular Diseases – Blood Cholesterol
Cholesterol (a waxy substance) is both a hero and a anti hero. While we cannot live without it, if excess, it becomes a serious threat and often an outright killer.
The term lipid refers to fat in the body and lipoprotein is a fat transported by protein. The primary kinds of lipids in the blood are cholesterol, phospholipids and triglycerides. Within the category of cholesterol we have two major type the bad cholesterol known as Low Density Lipoprotein (LDL) and the good cholesterol known as High Density Lipoprotein (HDL). Studies show that a diet high in saturated fat may actually override the effects of drugs used to lower cholesterol levels. Therefore, without dietary modifications, it is impossible to effectively control hyper-lipdemia, a condition where the level of total lipids rises beyond the normal limits. Here Naturopathy comes in with the concept of dietary modification and results are excellent where the control is total.
A diet high in saturated fat and cholesterol, like that eaten by most Americans and West Europeans, raises the blood cholesterol. The higher the blood cholesterol level, the greater the risk of heart attacks.
Blood Cholesterol Levels
With the deposition of cholesterol, the artery becomes narrow, like old water pipelines with salt deposits inside. This process is known as Atherosclerosis. If your blood cholesterol is 230mg/dl (milligrams per deciliter) or higher, you should take steps to bring it down with doctor’s advice. Saturated fat is usually hard at room temperature. Major sources of saturated fat in different oils