Why did cholesterol go up? What can you eat with increased cholesterol?

An increase in the level of cholesterol in the blood can indicate the development in the body of pathological processes that do not allow internal organs and systems to function normally. Such a violation often leads to the development of serious diseases. Why did cholesterol go up? How to deal with this?

What you need to know about cholesterol

Before answering the question, why cholesterol rose, it is worth to clarify what it is. This substance is very important for our body. Cholesterol is of organic origin and is a fat-soluble natural alcohol. The substance is part of the cell walls, forming their structure. Cholesterol is present in many living organisms. The compound takes an active part in the transport of substances inside and outside the cells.

Why did cholesterol go up? The process of producing this substance is affected by many factors. However, cholesterol is very necessary for the human body for:

• Transportation of certain substances through special mechanisms inside cells;
• Improve the plasticity of cell walls;
• Production of vitamin D;
• Synthesis of sex hormones, which include cholesterol;
• Production of bile acid;
• Improvement of digestion and so on.

Types of cholesterol

There are many causes of increased cholesterol in the blood. How to treat such a violation? First of all, it is worth to clarify what the norms of content exist and what kind of cholesterol can be. This substance constantly circulates along with blood through the human body, moving from tissues and cells to the liver for further excretion. There is a kind of cholesterol that is produced by the person himself. It is carried on the tissues. This is due to lipoproteins. In other words, compounds of cholesterol and protein. Their following varieties are known:

• VLDL (triglycerides) - lipoproteins with very low density, which transport endogenous cholesterol;
• LDL-lipoproteins with low density, carrying cholesterol to tissues from the liver;
• HDL - lipoproteins, which have a high density index and are involved in transporting excess free cholesterol to the liver from all tissues for its processing and further excretion.

The higher the content of the last type of compounds, the lower the likelihood of developing such a disease as atherosclerosis. If the level of other varieties increases, the risk of the disease increases. Often with such a violation, the vessels are already damaged by atherosclerosis. The content of triglycerides in large quantities in the blood is also dangerous, as there is a breakdown of compounds such as VLDL and the release of cholesterol.

What is the norm

So, what is the norm of cholesterol in the blood in 50 years, at 30 or 20 years? The content of this compound can vary from 3.6 to 7.8 mmol / liter. Deviation from the norm allows you to determine what disease is gradually developing in the body. If the cholesterol index is 5 mmol / liter, then this indicates an increased cholesterol. In addition, the ratio of all lipid complexes is taken into account.

The more present in the blood of the HDL, the better. If the amount of bad cholesterol, for example, LDL or VLDL increases, then it is worthwhile to reconsider your lifestyle and visit a doctor. A table of cholesterol levels by age allows you to more accurately determine how much this substance should be in the blood.

Who should check

To answer the question, why cholesterol rose, it is worth to pass the analysis. Blood is taken from the vein and only on an empty stomach. One day before the appointed date, it is necessary to exclude alcohol and fatty foods from your diet. In addition, it is worth to refrain from smoking.

To hand over similar analyzes it is recommended:

• If there is a risk of heredity;
• Hypothyroidism and diabetes mellitus;
• After reaching a certain age;
• If there are bad habits;
• Suffering from obesity;
• With prolonged intake of hormonal contraceptives;
• With menopause;
• Men after 35 years;
• If there are symptoms of atherosclerosis.

Causes of High Blood Cholesterol

How to treat elevated cholesterol? To begin with, it is necessary to identify the main cause of its development. Some believe that the problem lies in the excessive use of harmful foods, including cheese, processed meat, shrimp, canned food, margarine and fast food. However, the reason is often more serious. Among them is the following:

• obesity;
• Hypertension;
• elderly age;
• Ischemic heart disease;
• diabetes;
• Worsening of the thyroid gland;
• Genetic predisposition;
• Cholelithiasis;
• Improper diet and lifestyle;
• Alcohol abuse.

If you have elevated HDL cholesterol

What does elevated cholesterol indicate? HDL is considered "good cholesterol". It helps the body get rid of more harmful compounds for the body. In this case, the substance positively affects the condition of the body. HDL does not allow to accumulate and form cholesterol plaques, transports to the liver cholesterol, clears arteries, thereby preventing their blockage. In some cases, an increase in the level of HDL may indicate the development of certain diseases, among which:

• Chronic hepatitis;
• Cirrhosis of the liver;
• Hereditary hyperalpha-lipoproteinemia;
• alcoholism;
• Stressful state;
• Sharp weight loss.

For reliability and accurate diagnosis, the doctor can prescribe a re-surrender of the analysis. If the indicators exceed the norm, a more thorough examination will be required. This is the only way to choose the right therapy and avoid the development of negative consequences.

Cholesterol level in pregnancy

Elevated cholesterol in pregnancy is not normal. Therefore, if there are any deviations in the analysis, you should consult a doctor. Provoke during a pregnancy a rise in cholesterol can some diseases and disorders that occur in the body of a woman. Among such pathologies, it is worth highlighting:

• Disturbance of metabolic processes;
• Kidney disease;
• diabetes;
• Hypertension;
• Liver disease.

Elevated cholesterol in pregnancy is monitored regularly in late and early periods. For this, a woman must regularly take a blood test for 9 months. In addition to diseases, the increase in cholesterol during pregnancy can be triggered by the use of foods that affect the amount of this compound in the body. Therefore, a pregnant woman should strictly follow the rules of healthy eating.

What you can eat with high cholesterol

If the level of cholesterol in the blood is increased, then you need to correctly adjust your diet. For this it is necessary to adhere to the following rules:

1. Reduce the level of cholesterol in the blood helps Omega-3 fats. Therefore, it is recommended to include foods such as lamprey, salmon, eel, sturgeon and stellate sturgeon in the diet.
2. Vegetable oils. However, they are not used for heat treatment of products, but for filling porridges and salads.
3. Nuts. Such products are a rich source of monounsaturated fatty acids, which can reduce the level of "bad cholesterol" in the blood. On the day it is recommended to consume up to 10 grams of hazelnut, almonds, cashews.
4. Vegetables and fruits. These foods should be present in the diet. However, there are no restrictions. However, in the priority remain legumes, sorrel, broccoli, spinach, cabbage.
5. Beverages. In the diet, you can include herbal tea, coffee without cream, mineral water, mors, fresh natural juices.
6. Kashi. They should be whole grains. Ideal for buckwheat and oatmeal. They are best used for breakfast, seasoned with vegetable oil.

What is worth eating with care

What can you eat with increased cholesterol with caution? Such products include:

1. Dairy. Do not completely abandon them. However, it is necessary to choose such products correctly. With elevated cholesterol it is worth using those that contain a minimum of fat.
2. Meat. It should be low-fat varieties. Ideal for rabbit, turkey and chicken.
3. Bread. If this product can not be excluded from your diet, then it is worth giving preference to products from wholemeal flour. This rule also applies to macaroni products. It should be made of durum wheat.
4. Sweet. Most of the desserts with elevated cholesterol are prohibited, because they contain a lot of fat. With such a violation, homemade jam, marshmallow, marmalade and fruit ice cream are preferable.

What affects the level of cholesterol in the blood? First of all, these are the disorders that occur in the body, the diet, and also how the products were prepared. With such a pathology, fried foods are strictly forbidden. With increased cholesterol, cook better in the oven or a couple.

List of products that increase cholesterol

To reduce the level of cholesterol in the blood, it is worth to give up a number of products. First of all, this applies to those in which there are too many trans fatty acids. They also affect the level of cholesterol in the blood. Their absence reduces the risk of coronary artery disease. With increased cholesterol, it is necessary to exclude from the diet:

• French fries;
• chocolate;
• butter;
• Crackers and chips;
• Confectionery, for example, cakes, biscuits, cookies, waffles and so on;
• Alcoholic beverages;
• Fatty dishes;
• Fat and fat;
• Pork, brisket and ribs;
• Sausages and sausage of all sorts.

The diet should be adjusted so that it included more products allowed for increased cholesterol.

Sample menu

What should be a diet with high cholesterol? It is better to make a menu for a week together with a nutritionist. After all, adjustment is a complex process. The approximate menu for the day is as follows:

• Breakfast : porridge buckwheat, seasoned with vegetable oil -170 g, apple or ½ orange, coffee or tea without sweeteners.
• Breakfast the second : salad from tomatoes and cucumbers with oil - 260 g, carrot juice fresh - 200 ml.
• Lunch : low-fat vegetable soup - 300 ml, chicken steaks - 150 g, grilled vegetables - 150 g, natural juice of oranges - 200 ml.
• Afternoon snack : oatmeal - 130 g, apple juice - 200 ml.
• Dinner : fish cooked in an oven without batter - 200 g, vegetables stewed - 150 grams, bread from bran - 1 slice, tea or coffee without sweeteners.

This is an approximate menu. The composition of some dishes can be changed. Everything depends on personal preferences. The main thing is that any replacement should comply with dietary rules.

Traditional medicine against high cholesterol

How quickly to lower cholesterol in the blood? To begin with it is worth to visit a doctor and find out the cause of this pathology. Many are in great demand using alternative medicine. If the attending physician allows their use, then we can start the therapy safely. As for self-treatment, it can aggravate the general condition and cause harm. Therefore, it is not recommended to use any medications independently, even on the basis of herbs. In any case, it is worth consulting with a doctor. In addition, in some people, herbal components of medicines can cause intolerance and allergy.

Infusion of dill and valerian with honey

This is one of the most popular drugs taken with elevated cholesterol. For its preparation, one glass of dill and honey should be mixed. To the resulting mixture should be added a tablespoon of chopped valerian roots. The resulting mass must be filled with a liter of boiling water and leave to infuse for a day. Keep the mixture is recommended in the cold.

Take this infusion can be thrice knocked on one tablespoon about 20 minutes before a meal.

Using garlic

Reduce the cholesterol level in the blood will help preparations based on garlic. For therapy, you can use the usual infusion and alcohol tincture.

To prepare the medicine, you need to clean 10 cloves of garlic and pass them through the press. The resulting mass should be added in two glasses of olive oil. To insist such a drug costs within a week. The infusion is used as a dressing for salads and other dishes.

Alcohol tincture is prepared as follows. 300 grams of peeled garlic should be crushed and poured with 200 milliliters of alcohol. Infuse the remedy for two weeks. You need to start taking one drop. Dosage should gradually increase (1 drop in each next dose) to 20. Take the drug is recommended three times a day.

Medication Therapy

To combat elevated cholesterol, drugs that are capable of destroying lipids and synthesizing new ones are usually used. ) . Such drugs belong to the group of statins ("Vazilip", "Torvacard", " Hofitol" ) . It is these medicines that can maintain the level of cholesterol in the blood.

To aggravate the absorption processes of the compound in the intestine, the physician can prescribe absorption inhibitors. Such therapy will be effective provided that the cause of high cholesterol in the blood is the abuse of foods high in this substance. It is worth noting that the receipt of this compound in the body with food products is only a fifth of its total. The rest is produced by internal organs. The action of such drugs is not designed to lower the level of cholesterol in the blood.

Increase the amount of "good" substances allow Omega-3 and fibrates. They can reduce the concentration of triglycerides.

Appointment of any medicine should only be the attending physician. Self-treatment is not recommended.