Documenti di Didattica
Documenti di Professioni
Documenti di Cultura
WHAT IS IT?
Cholesterol is produced naturally by your liver to help protect your nerves, produce hormones and make new cell tissues1. You have different kinds of cholesterol HDL (high density lipoprotein), LDL (low density lipoprotein) and VLDL (very low density lipoprotein). LDL and VLDL is the bad cholesterol that sticks to your blood vessels (known as plaque) which can lead to heart disease. HDL is the good cholesterol that cleans out the bad cholesterol a bit like Drano through a clogged sink.
When you eat saturated fats (fats that are solid at room temperature like on the last big steak you ate) they increase the bad cholesterol (LDL) in your system, your LDL cholesterol goes up and even more sticky plaque builds up. The good news is that the reverse is also true, when you consume good cholesterol (HDL) like the last piece of fish you ate, the balance is maintained and your blood vessels stay clean2.
Your doctor can tell you your cholesterol levels (not by just looking at youa small prick of blood is needed). They will look at the balance of good and bad, and tell you if you have a healthy, borderline or dangerous cholesterol reading.
EAT BREAKFAST
Research shows that if you skip breakfast youre 27% more likely to have heart problems than if you started the day with a meal3. What you eat is important too foods high in soluble fibre (fibre that the body can break down) such as oatmeal and oat bran help actively reduce bad cholesterol4.
GO NUTS
Almonds, hazelnuts, peanuts, pecans, pistachio nuts and walnuts can help you manage your cholesterol because theyre rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids (the good fat that helps increase the good HDL cholesterol) that keep your blood vessels healthy4. Try and eat a handful (1.5 ounces, or 42.5 grams) every day.
Sources: 1. McNamara, D. (2013). Cholesterol: Sources, Absorption, Function, and Metabolism. Encyclopedia of Human Nutrition (Third Edition). 341-345. 2. Bhupathiraju, S., Tucker, L. (2011). Coronary heart disease Prevention: Nutrients, foods and dietary patterns. Clinica Chemica Acta. 412 (17-18): 1493-1514. 3. Cahil et al. (2013). Prospective Study of Breakfast Eating and Incident Coronary Heart Disease in a Cohort of Male US Health Professionals. Circulation. 128: 337-343 4. Hu, F. (2008). Diet and Heart Disease. Elsevier Inc. 181-190. 5. Calpe-Berdiel et al. (2009). New insights into the molecular actions of plant sterols and stanols in cholesterol metabolism. Atherosclerosis. 203 (1): 18-31.