Although it is often mentioned how bad cholesterol is and how it affects heart health, cholesterol is actually a vital part of how the body works. Cholesterol is a fat produced by the liver. The body does not need help to create cholesterol. External cholesterol is produced by the foods we eat, mainly meats and dairy products, along with shellfish. Plant-based foods are, for the most part, cholesterol-free. The problem with health and fitness occurs when excess cholesterol builds up inside the body and causes narrowing of the arteries. There are measures that can be taken to reduce the consumption of bad cholesterol and increase the good. Yes, there is actually good cholesterol.
There is LDL cholesterol and HDL cholesterol. Low-density lipoprotein carries the stigma of ‘bad’ cholesterol. High blood cholesterol is relatively symptom-free, so most are unaware of the dangers lurking inside their bodies. At high levels, cholesterol builds up in your arteries, making you susceptible to heart disease, as well as other illnesses, that affect your health and fitness. High-density lipoprotein is the “good” cholesterol. Transports cholesterol to the liver. The liver then processes the cholesterol and removes it.
The factors that raise LDL are often the same ones that are advertised as bad for your overall health. This includes smoking, eating foods that contain saturated fat, inactivity, and weight gain. The reason smoking is dangerous is that it actually lowers your good or HDL cholesterol. Those who are not smokers, but who are victims of secondhand smoke, also end up with low levels of HDL. Foods high in fat, especially saturated and trans fats, cause LDL levels to rise. Inactivity contributes to high blood cholesterol by not only raising bad cholesterol, but also lowering good cholesterol levels. All this is detrimental to health and fitness.
All that said, health and fitness can be improved by lowering LDL and raising HDL cholesterol levels. Therefore, it is important to select the best diet program to improve good cholesterol levels and lower bad cholesterol. Medications can be used, but most can follow a simple plan to lower all but the most persistent cholesterol levels. These steps include common sense behaviors like eating the right foods, taking time to exercise, and quitting smoking. Oatmeal has been used in studies to show its effect on high cholesterol. This fiber-rich food acts like a broom, sweeping up cholesterol. Foods rich in omega fatty acids, such as flaxseeds, walnuts, and olive oil, are known to improve good cholesterol levels. Nuts and oil are high in fat, so moderation is key. Exercise increases endorphins, but it also increases HDL levels, while lowering LDL levels and improving heart health. There are many ways to ruin the body, but small changes can bring great health. Selecting the best diet program to help achieve these small changes is paramount.