How to Lower Cholesterol

If you have high cholesterol, it can mean you’re at risk of having a heart attack or stroke. Fortunately, there are lots of things you can do to lower your cholesterol levels.

The best way to manage your cholesterol is by lowering your dietary intake of saturated and Trans fats. These are the main contributors to high cholesterol levels.

What is cholesterol?

Cholesterol is a type of lipid (fat). It's made by the liver and is essential for many body processes, including hormone production, vitamin D, and helping your body digest fats.

It's also important for blood clotting and helps keep your blood vessels flexible. But when too much cholesterol builds up in your blood, it can increase your risk of heart disease or stroke.

Your blood has special proteins that carry cholesterol, other lipids (fats), and proteins to where they need to go. These proteins are called lipoproteins and there are different types of them, such as HDLs (good cholesterol) and LDLs (bad cholesterol).

Cholesterol can build up inside the walls of your arteries, the large blood vessels that carry blood around your body. Over time, this can cause the arteries to become stiff and narrow. This process is called atherosclerosis. When it happens, your blood isn't flowing as well and your risk of heart attack or stroke goes up.

Causes

There are several causes of high cholesterol, including hereditary and lifestyle factors. It's usually possible to lower cholesterol levels by making healthy changes to your diet and exercising more.

You can also choose to take medication, such as a statin, to lower your risk of heart disease. You should have your cholesterol levels checked regularly - at least every four to six years for healthy adults.

Having too much cholesterol in the blood is a major cause of cholesterol kam karne ka tarika. It can cause plaque to form in your arteries, which narrows them.

Cholesterol is a waxy, fat-like substance that your liver makes naturally. It helps your body develop cells and hormones, as well as transport vitamin D.

There are two kinds of cholesterol: low-density lipoprotein (LDL) and high-density lipoprotein (HDL). Ideally, you should have good levels of both.

Symptoms

Cholesterol is a fatty substance your body needs to make certain hormones and rebuild cells. It also helps the body absorb vitamins and minerals.

But high cholesterol levels can lead to a dangerous condition called atherosclerosis. It can cause a buildup of plaque on the walls of your arteries, which narrows them and restricts blood flow.

It is also linked to a higher risk of heart disease and stroke.

People with risk factors may need to get tested more frequently than others. This can be done with a simple blood test.

You can lower your cholesterol levels by limiting the amount of saturated fat in your diet. This is the kind of fat found in meats, full-fat dairy products and tropical oils like palm and coconut. Limiting your consumption of these fats can reduce your risk of heart disease and stroke.

Treatment

High cholesterol can be treated with lifestyle changes and a variety of prescription medications. These treatments lower your levels of "bad" cholesterol (LDL) and raise your levels of "good" cholesterol (HDL).

Over-the-counter (OTC) medicines can also be effective in lowering your cholesterol, if you're able to make the necessary changes in diet and exercise. Your GP will be able to advise you on the best way to treat your cholesterol and whether it can be improved by lifestyle changes alone.

Statins are the most common type of cholesterol in urdu, which reduce the amount of cholesterol made by your liver. Choices include atorvastatin (Lipitor), fluvastatin (Lescol), lovastatin (Altoprev), pitavastatin (Livalo), pravastatin (Pravachol), rosuvastatin calcium (Crestor) and simvastatin (Zocor).

Cholesterol absorption inhibitors, such as ezetimibe (Zetia), can also be prescribed with a statin to help lower your cholesterol level. Bile acid-binding drugs, such as cholestyramine (Locholest), sorbitrate (Losartan) and colestid (Colestid), can also be prescribed to help your body use up excess cholesterol.