Cholesterol is a fatty substance found naturally in the cells and bloodstream of our body. It is mainly produced by the liver, but a small amount also comes from certain foods we eat. Cholesterol has developed a bit of a sinister reputation over the years, but the truth is that it plays an important role in our overall health and is involved in a number of vital functions including the growth and activity of cells. The body needs cholesterol, however according to a lot of medical research, an excess of it floating around our blood can have potential negative implications for our health. It is vital for us older blokes to develop an understanding of cholesterol and especially its relationship to cardiovascular disease.
Finding out the level of cholesterol in our blood is as easy as your Doctor organising a simple blood test. Among other things the blood test will identify the two types of proteins that are responsible for transporting this fatty substance in the body:
• LDL (low density lipoprotein) takes cholesterol away from the liver into the blood stream and out to the cells of our body.
• HDL (high density lipoprotein) plays the role of returning cholesterol to our liver where it is broken down.
LDL makes up the bulk of cholesterol in our body and has been labelled as bad cholesterol mainly due to its involvement in the formation of plaque in our blood vessels. It is believed that when the lining of our blood vessels gets damaged in places due to things like high blood pressure, smoking or diabetes, LDL can start to enter the walls of the blood vessels and eventually build up to restrict or even block blood flow to parts of our heart and brain causing a heart attack or stroke.
There are a lot of factors that influence the levels of cholesterol in a person’s blood such as our genes, age and ethnicity which we don’t have a great deal of control over, and our diet and lifestyle which we do have control over. This is especially important to consider if we are already at risk of developing heart and circulatory disease due to factors such as smoking, being overweight and having high blood pressure.
Your GP may discuss medication as an option to address high cholesterol levels but will most definitely suggest exercise and changes to your diet and lifestyle. Exercise is a no brainer when it comes to keeping your pump and pipes healthy and reducing your risk for all sorts of health issues. Dietary wise, it will involve being mindful of foods that contain high cholesterol such as meat, milk, cheese, eggs and butter.
There is a lot of evidence to limit our intake of saturated and trans fats which are found in foods such as fatty meat, dairy products and most take away food. Both these fats can raise the levels of LDL and trans fats are even thought to lower the levels of HDL. We still need to eat fat as part of a balanced diet, but this should generally be unsaturated fat found in foods such as fish, avocado and olive oil.
Remember, get your GP to check your cholesterol on your next visit and discuss any associated risks that are relevant to you.
By The Regional Men’s Health Initiative
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