Did you know that cholesterol is like our body’s silent friend – we need it to feel good, but it causes us trouble when it gets too much? For many, this word is associated with risk and health problems, but in fact, cholesterol is necessary for every cell in our body. It’s like a coin with two sides – one of them helps us produce vital nutrients, the other can harm our health if we lose control. So how do you keep the balance? How to normalize the cholesterol level in the blood by adjusting the diet and other means? These and other questions are answered by Agnė Misiūtė, a family doctor at the ID CLINIC medical center.
Vital, but can become dangerous
Cholesterol is a companion of our body that performs many vital functions, but it can also become the cause of serious health problems if its amount increases beyond normal limits. According to doctor A. Misiūtė, cholesterol is necessary and important for us in areas such as vitamin D synthesis, brain activity and hormone production. However, as the doctor warns, it can also become an enemy of health.
“Most people know the word “cholesterol” as if it were a swear word. But it is a fat that we all need, it is important for many processes in the body. Cholesterol is essential for vitamin D synthesis, bile acid metabolism, brain function and, of course, hormone production. The biggest problem with cholesterol is that it tends to accumulate, so people often have more than normal levels in their blood. The problem arises when it begins to accumulate in the walls of blood vessels. Then we have cardiovascular diseases, complications such as strokes, heart attacks, etc. But the beginning of all problems does not occur because cholesterol circulates in our blood, but because inflammatory processes begin in the walls of blood vessels. Then there is damage to the endothelium, the inner surface of the blood vessels, and low-density lipoproteins begin to narrow the lumen of the blood vessels”, says the ID CLINIC family doctor.
Malnutrition has the greatest influence
As A. Misiūtė assures, one of the main reasons for the increase in cholesterol level is improper diet. According to her, many problems are caused by trans fats, which we get from consuming various semi-finished products.
“One of the main factors that increase cholesterol levels is poor diet. Trans fats, also known as processed fats, cause the biggest problems. These are used in semi-finished products – there are plenty of palm, olive oil and other compounds that are not natural for humans. Of course, excessive consumption of sweet products is not good either. You should not consume a lot of fast carbohydrates, which suddenly raise the sugar level, or various sweets, desserts, cakes, which we love to enjoy with a cup of coffee or during holidays. Unsweetened foods, such as the sugar found in various sauces such as ketchup or mayonnaise, can also increase the amount of sugar. Another cause of rising cholesterol is stress. During times of stress, the hormonal system is active, which encourages us to fight – a person prepares to overcome serious challenges and this requires energy. So what does our body do? It sends stores of sugar into our bloodstream that we don’t use. And then from that it creates molecules that accumulate on the thighs, abdomen, waist, and in the worst case, on the walls of our blood vessels”, A. Misiūtė shares the reasons that increase the cholesterol level.
As the doctor adds, genetics also affects cholesterol levels, but, according to her, genetic predisposition is not an excuse – a person with a genetic predisposition should take care of their health even more carefully.
“Sometimes people tend to blame all their cholesterol problems on genetics. They say everyone in my family has high cholesterol. Yes, it definitely has an effect, but it is not a reason not to try and live anyway, just because there is a genetic predisposition to high cholesterol. It is precisely a person who should take more care of his comprehensive health”, says the doctor of the medical center ID CLINIC.
Some fruits should be consumed as a dessert
For those who want to successfully regulate blood cholesterol levels, A. Misiūtė recommends adding more fruits, vegetables, berries and products containing omega-3 acids to their daily diet.
The level of “bad” cholesterol is reduced by omega-3, which means that you should eat more fish. People also often have elevated LDL (low-density lipoproteins), which is best reduced by fiber, both soluble and insoluble. Insoluble fibers collectively help the digestive system eliminate unnecessary substances, while soluble fibers bind excess insulin and cholesterol. Including fruits, vegetables, and berries in the diet also helps a lot. As for berries, special attention should be paid to blue berries, because they have a lot of antioxidants and polyphenols”, says A. Misiūtė.
True, the family doctor adds that certain fruits should be consumed as a dessert, because they raise the sugar level very quickly.
“Sweet fruits, such as bananas, mangoes, grapes, raise blood sugar very quickly, so such products should be treated as dessert. You can really eat them, you even need to include them in your diet, because they are rich in vitamins, but no matter how useful they are, they should be consumed after the main meal so that sugar does not rise so suddenly,” advises a doctor working at ID CLINIC.
As for vegetables, A. Misiūtė emphasizes that no matter which vegetables we use, it is much more important to consider how they are prepared.
“It doesn’t matter what the vegetable is, it’s how it’s prepared that matters. If it is overcooked, over-boiled, overcooked, and there is nothing left of it, it means that there is not much of its useful substances left. Yes, there will still be some fiber there, but the vitamins and minerals are already broken down. Therefore, if you cook carrots, sweet potatoes or other vegetables, do not overcook them, because then their energy and nutritional value will decrease significantly. I would also strongly encourage people to eat what grows in the garden, in our place, which does not need a lot of chemicals to withstand the journey to Lithuania. The same apple from our garden will be many times better and more useful than the sweetest and tastiest mango flown in from Mexico”, the family doctor shares her thoughts.
Food containing fiber should be included in the diet
The specialist mentions that it is very useful to practice eating according to the rainbow principle – this means that as many products with different colors should appear on our plates.
“Fiber is very important for intestinal activity, it helps to remove accumulated toxins, excess sugar and cholesterol. Therefore, if a person does not eat vegetables, fruits, berries, he deprives himself of the opportunity to feel good and be healthy. Naturally, we should get fiber from food – we wish there was a rainbow of colors on everyone’s plate. There should be all the colors: red tomatoes, orange sweet potatoes or carrots, yellow corn, etc. By getting enough color, we also get enough fiber. We should eat fiber-rich foods at least five times a day. This is quite a lot and certainly not all people eat that much, which is why we have digestive imbalances, increased cholesterol, sugar metabolism disorders, obesity”, says A. Misiūtė.
The lack of fiber can easily be compensated if it is not consumed enough in food. There are a number of fiber options available on the market, one of them being special “fruttberry + fiber” mixtures. The natural components in their composition – plantain seed husks, agave inulin – contribute to maintaining normal blood sugar and cholesterol levels. Such products are a convenient choice for people who find it difficult to eat the recommended amount of fruits, vegetables and other fiber-rich foods.
It is important not to forget about physical activity
A. Misiūtė emphasizes that in order to effectively regulate the cholesterol level, it is important not only to eat properly, but also to not forget other factors of a healthy lifestyle.
“In order to maintain a normal level of cholesterol in the body, it is important to understand that the whole is very important. Quality sleep, physical activity, and fluid intake are essential. But if we divide everything into steps, then we should start with what is easy to implement. First of all, you should drink enough water during the day. Then we will not have such a beastly appetite, because sometimes a person feels hungry, although in reality he is only lacking water. How do you know how much water you need to drink per day? You just need to multiply 30 ml by your body weight in kilograms. The second thing – regardless of what you eat, I highly recommend adding a plate of salad to your diet. If that salad was still with apple cider vinegar, it would be a big plus. The third thing – if you ate very well, or maybe you ate something not very useful and you are thinking about what to do to make your body better – go for a walk, exercise your leg muscles. Physical activity can be just walking around the house in three circles, having a dog can help a lot. Well, and the last step that can be added to these three things, I would recommend adding omega-3 supplements and fiber-rich products to your diet – vegetables, fruits, berries. After implementing all these points, you can expect to successfully reduce the cholesterol level,” concludes family doctor A. Misiūtė.
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