Since we are living in a fast paced world, many of us tend to neglect the significance of taking good care of our health. As we age, our body needs the urgency for medical check up. Whenever any of us see the word “CHOLESTEROL” in the report, we are inclined to think that it is something bad to our body. To tell the truth, cholesterol is not necessarily bad for our body because there are two types of cholesterol; namely good cholesterol and bad cholesterol. Typically, cholesterol is a fat formed by the liver and is fundamental for usual body operation. It exists in the external coat of each cell in our body and has numerous functions. These functions aid the regular function of our body.
Before one starts to be afraid of cholesterol, it is better to learn the significance of good cholesterol to our body. Firstly, cholesterol builds and maintains cell membranes which are the outer layer of each cell. These cell membranes have permeability which is essential for determining which molecules can pass into the cell and which cannot. This helps to eliminate unwanted molecules from entering the cells. Moreover, cholesterol aids in the production of bile. We have read in books that sunshine provides Vitamin D to our body but has anyone wondered how is it possible for the sunshine to convert to Vitamin D? Well, with the aid of cholesterol, it is possible because it converts sunshine to vitamin D. Furthermore, it is also imperative for the body to enhance metabolism of fat soluble vitamins, including vitamins A, D, E, and K. With all these functions in hand, there isn’t any necessity to be afraid of cholesterol unless you have LDL.
Now you may ask what LDL is. LDL is the acronym for low density lipoprotein. People often refer to it as bad cholesterol. LDL carries cholesterol from the liver to cells. If too much is carried, too much for the cells to use, there can be a harmful buildup of LDL. This can increase the risk of arterial disease if levels rise too high. Most human blood contains approximately 70% LDL but this may vary, depending on the person. Too much LDL can cause the arteries to become blocked, which increases the risk of heart disease and stroke. Blocked arteries occur when excess LDL and other fatty substances attach themselves to the walls of the arteries, causing them to become narrower, meaning that blood cannot pass through as easily. Over time, partially blocked arteries also become hardened and inflamed, increasing the risk of breakage. All this increases the risk of a range of vascular diseases, such as heart disease, stroke and kidney disease. When there is bad cholesterol, the good comes along. HDL (high density lipoprotein) is often referred to as good cholesterol. Experts say HDL prevents arterial disease. Moreover, HDL does the opposite of LDL. It takes the cholesterol away from the cells and back to the liver. In the liver it is either broken down or expelled from the body as waste.
In addition, high cholesterol itself doesn't cause any symptoms. This means that we could have high cholesterol and not know about it. The only way to know our cholesterol level is to have it tested. Once receiving the results, it is not necessarily something devastating because level of bad cholesterol in body can be reduced or controlled if we follow a balanced diet, live a healthy lifestyle and obviously by following the instructions from doctors. High cholesterol level becomes deadly only when we refuse to change our habits that contributes to the increase in cholesterol in our body.
In a nutshell, living a healthy lifestyle is everyone’s dream. Daydreaming about it but living an unhealthy lifestyle, for example, smoking, eating food which is high in cholesterol and not exercising regularly will never help in avoiding ourselves from getting high cholesterol. Cholesterol is not something to be afraid of because as stated above good cholesterol does play a vital role in our body. It is our responsibility to restrict the increase in bad cholesterol in our body. Prevention is always better than cure. Therefore, start preventing from getting high bad cholesterol since a very young age instead of trying to reduce it after getting affected. We only live once.
Why waste it by being afraid of something that we can restrain?
References
• Grundy SM, et al. (2001). Executive summary of the third report of the National Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP) Expert Panel on Detection, Evaluation, and Treatment of High Blood Cholesterol in Adults (Adult Treatment Panel III). JAMA, 285(19): 2486-2497.
• National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (2005). Your Guide to Lowering Your Cholesterol With TLC (NIH Publication No. 06-5235). Available online: http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/public/heart/chol/chol_tlc.pdf
By Khamsigan a/l/ Munretnam, Molecular Research Scientist
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