Having been heard of cholesterol in so many advertisements and product descriptions, it’s evident that most of us do not want anything to do with the cholesterol since, presumably cholesterol is supposed to be a bad thing for our body! But did you know that we all need cholesterol to stay healthy? That cholesterol is as good and bad as you’re as a human! Let’s bust the cholesterol related health myths here!
What is Cholesterol?
Cholesterol is essentially a blood fat that forms and important factor for a healthy body. However, you’d be surprised to know that there are two forms of cholesterol - HDL, i.e. High Density Lipoprotein and LDL, i.e. Low Density Lipoprotein. While the former is considered to be good for your health and helps remove the latter (LDL is not considered to be good for your body as it tends to accumulate in your arteries and cause heart related disorders). Essentially, the balance between HDL and LDL depends upon your genetic composition, lifestyle and diet intake. To be honest, anyone in this day and age can have a high cholesterol even if he/she seems to young, healthy and physically fit.
What Does It Mean To Have A High Cholesterol?
A high cholesterol essentially means an abnormally high level of LDL and can cause various disorders including coronary heart disease, angina pectoris, a heart attack, a stroke, peripheral arterial disease, vascular dementia etc. The primary reason for these disorders to occur is the accumulation of LDL cholesterol in your arteries as it forms a major composition of your blood as blood fat and leaves residue all across your circulatory system. Such residues cause pressure and makes the arteries choke, leaving little space for the blood to flow and thus adding an extra pressure on your arteries.
How Ayurveda Can Help With Your Cholesterol Level?
It is true that eating right can do wonders for your body but when the cause is also influenced by your genetic inheritance, it becomes a little complex to know how to handle the cholesterol predicament. Another question that arises with this is what type of fats should one consume? Ayurveda recommends a balanced intake of ghee and olive oil while having a kapha balancing diet as it helps with the fats and tends to balance your body. The diet generally includes of natural food items i.e. fresh fruits and vegetables while advising you against extremely spicy, soury or salty food in your diet. Based on your individual report, you can also have your diet chart made from a registered Ayurvedic Physician and it can do wonders for your cholesterol predicament. To conclude this, you should also avoid too much of saturated fats in your diet and be cautious of what you eat no matter what age you are.