Reduce cholesterol? Explanation and nutritional tips!

A high cholesterol level is not good for you, that much is clear. Doctors see high cholesterol as one of the biggest culprits for developing heart disease and inflammation. You need cholesterol to function and it is an essential building block for your body. Values ​​that are too high are not good for you and that is why it is important to look at your values. Especially because you initially experience no complaints if your values ​​are out of balance. There are different types of cholesterol that work in different ways. We explain what these are here. We also help you reduce high cholesterol with nutritional tips

What exactly is cholesterol?

Cholesterol is a fatty substance that is not soluble in water and ensures the construction of the cell wall. It is a combination of the word chole (bile) and it is an essential building material that is largely produced by your body itself. That happens specifically in the liver.

There are 2 ways in which the cholesterol in your blood increases the risk of heart and fluid: if your total cholesterol level is too high and if the ratio between the different types of cholesterol is out of balance. The latter certainly poses a higher risk.

Soothes cholesterol

The blood transports cholesterol by binding it to certain proteins. These proteins are called lipoproteins. There are different types of cholesterol named after their density: High Density Lipoprotein, known as 'HDL' and Low Density Lipoprotein, known as 'LDL'. The connection between LDL and cholesterol is called LDL cholesterol. Then you have VLDL which stands for Very Low Dense Lipoprotein. Your total cholesterol level is the sum of LDL + HDL + VLDL.

LDL cholesterol

LDL transports cholesterol through your blood to the rest of your body where it is used, for example, to repair damage to your tissues. If you have too much LDL cholesterol, it can stick to the inside of your blood vessels. Usually in places where your blood vessels are weak or damaged. Causes of this can be the result of smoking, increased blood pressure or old age. This causes blood vessels to slowly clog, causing the blood to flow less and less effectively, also known as arteriosclerosis. Furthermore, pieces of encrusted LDL can break loose and cause a blockage in a narrower part of your blood vessels, which can cause a heart attack. LDL cholesterol is not called the 'bad cholesterol' for nothing.

HDL Cholesterol

The blood transports cholesterol by binding it to certain proteins. These proteins are called lipoproteins. There are different types of cholesterol named after their density: High Density Lipoprotein, known as 'HDL' and Low Density Lipoprotein, known as 'LDL'. The connection between LDL and cholesterol is called LDL cholesterol. Then you have VLDL which stands for Very Low Dense Lipoprotein. Your total cholesterol level is the sum of LDL + HDL + VLDL.

LDL cholesterol

LDL transports cholesterol through your blood to the rest of your body where it is used, for example, to repair damage to your tissues. If you have too much LDL cholesterol, it can stick to the inside of your blood vessels. Usually in places where your blood vessels are weak or damaged. Causes of this can be the result of smoking, increased blood pressure or old age. This causes blood vessels to slowly clog, causing the blood to flow less and less effectively, also known as arteriosclerosis. Furthermore, pieces of encrusted LDL can break loose and cause a blockage in a narrower part of your blood vessels, which can cause a heart attack. LDL cholesterol is not called the 'bad cholesterol' for nothing.

HDL Cholesterol

LDL cholesterol is found in fatty products that mainly contain saturated fats. This includes butter and margarine in a wrapper, full-fat dairy products and cheese, coconut oil and palm oil, fatty meat, cold cuts and sausage, chocolate, cakes and pastries, and snacks and pretzels. You want to enjoy these products in moderation. You can read more about this later in this article.

How do you increase good cholesterol?

You can improve the ratio between LDL and HDL cholesterol by consuming saturated fat in moderation and replacing saturated fat with unsaturated fat. This can be done by choosing lean products and replacing hard fats with vegetable oil, low-fat margarine, soft margarine and liquid cooking fat or oil.

Furthermore, the cholesterol in foods, such as eggs, organ meat, oily fish such as eel and shrimp, only has a small effect on the cholesterol level in the blood.

How do you notice that your cholesterol is too high?

You actually don't notice anything if your cholesterol is too high. That's also the treacherous thing about it. Only when your cholesterol has been elevated for years do noticeable health problems occur. This is because the substance accumulates in the vessel wall, causing blood vessels to narrow and become clogged. The blood supply is then limited and your organs do not receive enough oxygen. If you want to avoid this, have your levels checked regularly by your doctor or get a self-test from the pharmacy.

What has a negative effect on your cholesterol?

Particularly when the balance between LDL cholesterol and HDL cholesterol is disturbed, this has a negative effect and increases the risk of elevated cholesterol levels. In particular, smoking, eating high in saturated fat and insufficient exercise can disrupt this balance. This can cause an unwanted shift to the bad LDL cholesterol. Hereditary predisposition also plays a role.

What can you do to lower your cholesterol?

You can lower your cholesterol in different ways. The three most important are sufficient exercise, healthy eating without unhealthy fats and possible use of medication. Once you start taking medication you are stuck with it for the rest of your life. This also includes ensuring that you are not overweight. In my opinion, prevention is better than cure. With a healthy lifestyle you can lower your high cholesterol by 10 to 15%. In addition, there are supplements that are a good addition to good cholesterol levels. Sufficient sleep contributes to good health and helps to maintain healthy cholesterol levels.

Which cholesterol-lowering medications have the fewest side effects?

There are various medications that help you control your high cholesterol. This always goes in combination with healthy food. A lower cholesterol level reduces the risk of developing cardiovascular disease by 20 to 25%. Most cholesterol-lowering medications have side effects, although these can differ for everyone. These are the medications that are generally best tolerated and cause the fewest unwanted symptoms.

Statins

There are various medications that a doctor can prescribe to treat high cholesterol levels. You will usually be given a statin. That is generally the first choice. Stanines inhibit the production of cholesterol in the liver and have a powerful and effective effect.

Statins have a beneficial effect on the inner wall of the arteries. They lower elevated cholesterol by 25 to 45% and they slow down the process of arteriosclerosis.

They are widely used and most people tolerate them well. Possible side effects include stomach and intestinal complaints, fatigue, headache, dizziness and mild muscle complaints. Most complaints disappear on their own after a while. You cannot use statins during pregnancy and if you are breastfeeding or if you have active liver disease.

First, a doctor usually prescribes simvastatin. If this does not reduce the cholesterol level sufficiently, another statin is often prescribed, such as atorvastatin or rsosuvastatin. Only if that does not work are other cholesterol-lowering medications considered.

Other cholesterol lowering medications

The most powerful drugs to lower cholesterol are statins. There are also other cholesterol-lowering medications, but there is little scientific evidence that they actually reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease.

Bile acid binding resins interrupt the cycle of bile, a raw material for cholesterol, and are therefore a means of lowering high cholesterol.

Fibrates mainly increase triglyceride levels, which does not have much effect on total cholesterol levels and is not very effective at lowering bad cholesterol.

Nicotinic acid derivatives inhibit the breakdown of fats and thus also the production of cholesterol.

Cholesterol absorption inhibitors inhibit the absorption of cholesterol in the intestines.

A relatively new type of medicines are cholesterol-lowering injections, or PCSK-9 inhibitors, such as Alirocumab and Evolcumab. They are administered by injection every 2 to 4 weeks and greatly reduce the bad LDL cholesterol. You are only eligible for this if you have a high risk of cardiovascular disease and only if the other medications do not work.

I said it before: prevention is better than cure. So what can you do now to lower your cholesterol naturally? A healthy lifestyle is the basis. You gain a lot by eating healthy and that means avoiding unsaturated fats and processed food. In addition, natural statin can be found in foods to help you prevent high cholesterol.

Which foods lower cholesterol?

In summary, these are the most important ingredients for a healthy diet. It is better to eat more plant products than animal products. Eat lots of fruits and vegetables. Replacing carbohydrates with whole grain products such as whole wheat bread, whole wheat pasta and brown rice will help. Eat legumes regularly. Choose skimmed milk and semi-skimmed dairy products. Eat good fats. There are healthy fats. That is, replace saturated fats with unsaturated fats. And don't eat too much sugar.

Which vegetables lower cholesterol?

Legumes such as lentils, chickpeas or beans lower LDL cholesterol, the bad cholesterol. Replace your carbohydrates with these products. Eat a wide variety of vegetables, especially green vegetables. Steaming green vegetables such as broccoli, green pepper, cabbage, Brussels sprouts and kale has a cholesterol-lowering effect. In addition, many vegetables contain carotene, which has a positive effect on preventing cardiovascular diseases. Avocados have a positive effect on lowering your cholesterol.

Which fruit is good for your cholesterol?

Eating fruit, especially red fruit, can help lower your cholesterol. This is partly due to the presence of fibers, but mainly due to all kinds of plant substances, antioxidants, that prevent inflammation.

Apples, oranges and grapefruits provide you with these healthy substances. Nuts, especially almonds and walnuts, also contain many healthy nutrients, including healthy fats and proteins.

Natural sugars from fruit are also better for your cholesterol than artificially added sugars.

Which bread for high cholesterol?

Oats can lower your cholesterol by 5 to 7%. Worth making bread from. In addition, whole grain products with fiber are better for you if you aim for good cholesterol levels. You might want to skip white bread.

Healthy fats are the basis of your health

Saturated fat is found in many fatty and animal products. Saturated fat is a ticket to high cholesterol. If you want to prevent high cholesterol, eliminate saturated fat from your diet as much as possible. Don't eat fried food. A healthy lifestyle is rich in foods with unsaturated fats.

Natural stanines

Research shows that natural stanines are effective in lowering your cholesterol levels. Natural stanines can be found in red yeast rice, a fermented product, Bergamot, a herb that can be made into tea, red grapefruit, walnut and artichoke. In addition, Policosonal (OPC) and vitamin C promote the increase of good HDL cholesterol and the reduction of bad LDL cholesterol. The main source of OPC is grape seeds. Other sources rich in OPC include apples, pears, cranberries, red wine, cocoa, beer, green tea and pine bark. Vitamin C can be found in citrus fruits. Vitamin D also has a positive influence on your elevated cholesterol.

What should you not eat if you have high cholesterol

The basis remains a varied diet with as many fresh ingredients as possible. Watch your carbs, don't eat white rice or regular pasta. Replace these with whole wheat products. Avoid saturated fats and replace them with products containing unsaturated fat. You can prevent a lot of misery naturally with a healthy diet. Below are a number of tips for products that are associated with your cholesterol.

Which food is bad for cholesterol?

It is better not to eat fatty foods such as fried products and products with a lot of unsaturated fat such as full-fat cheese. In addition, it is better to avoid fast carbohydrates and, as mentioned, white rice. Drink as little unfiltered coffee as possible. Ensure a healthy diet and prevent obesity.

Eat less sugar

Fast carbohydrates such as sugar are not good for your cholesterol levels. Good nutrition is important and less sugar helps to lower your values. If you have elevated LDL levels, it helps to avoid products with a lot of added sugars.

What is a low cholesterol diet?

9 Tips for a low cholesterol diet:

1. Take low-fat dairy products such as 20+ and 30+ cheese, mozzarella, cottage cheese, dairy spread and skimmed milk.
2. Replace saturated fat with unsaturated fats. Saturated fats are found in butter and margarines, for example. Unsaturated fats can be found in oils and margarine in a tub.
3. Drink as little unfiltered coffee as possible.
4. Be moderate with red meat and replace meat more often with fish, legumes, eggs and nuts. Fatty fish also contributes to a healthy brain.
5. Make sure you get enough exercise, because sitting still increases your risk of complaints.
6. Eat enough fiber, at least 30 grams per day and preferably from whole grain products and fruit.
7. Eat products rich in OPC, vitamin C and vitamin D.
8. Prevent obesity. Your risk of complaints increases considerably with obesity.
9. Quit smoking if you smoke. Not smoking significantly reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease.