Lowering Cholesterol: Five Mistakes and Three Tips to Do at Home if Your Levels Are Too High

Myth 1: If you have high cholesterol, you shouldn't eat fat or eggs

Fortunately, that's wrong. There are even fatty foods like nuts that can help lower cholesterol. Therefore, for former chancellor Gerhard Schröder and his wife, walnuts are on the breakfast table every day.

Other foods, such as toast or pasta, contain almost no fat, but are converted by the body into triglycerides (along with cholesterol, the most important fat in the blood), which can clog veins or are stored in adipose tissue. So a closer look is important.

The German Nutrition Association recommends limiting your daily fat intake to 60 to 80 grams of fat per day. In fact, Germans consume about 100 to 120 grams on average, are you starting from them?

This amount adds up quickly when you consider that a bratwurst with fries and mayo already contains 87 grams of fat. The recommended daily dose is already covered with one bar of chocolate and 100 grams of chips.

Goodbye, breakfast eggs?

Fortunately, we now know that's not true. Eggs are quite healthy because they contain high-quality proteins, fats and few carbohydrates. They also provide us with various vitamins such as A, D and B12, as well as folate, sodium, calcium and more.

Avoiding cholesterol-containing foods, such as eggs, is unlikely to change cholesterol values. However, the right amount of protein remains important.

Myth 2: Cholesterol is bad

Well, cholesterol has a really bad image. It is surprising for many. Cholesterol is necessary for life. The body needs blood fat to build cell walls, form vitamin D, and produce hormones such as the sex hormones estrogen and testosterone.

Too much, especially “bad” LDL cholesterol, is not good. Here we explain how you can find out what that looks like for you.

Misconception 3: Only medication can help with high cholesterol

Many people with elevated blood lipid levels are prescribed medication called statins by their doctor. At first it seems reasonable because their effectiveness has been proven by many independent studies.

However, more exercise and a change in diet should always precede medication. This means that costs can definitely be reduced and tablets may no longer be necessary.

If cholesterol levels are persistently elevated and other risk factors are present, drug treatment is often necessary. However, you should observe the following: statins increase the risk of diabetes because they can raise blood sugar levels.

Misconception 4: Cholesterol equals cholesterol

It is worth paying attention to the differences. Cholesterol is a blood fat found in… LDL: (low density lipoproteins) and HDL: (high density lipoproteins). About three quarters are produced by the body, the rest we get from food.

LDL is considered “bad” cholesterolTherefore, the cost should be low because: Elevated LDL cholesterol accumulates in the walls of blood vessels and leads to vascular calcification. As a result, the vessels narrow, less blood passes through, and the tissue is not sufficiently supplied with oxygen. Consequences include angina pectoris, heart attack, stroke or dementia.

On the other hand, a sufficiently high HDL value is favorable. It transports excess cholesterol from the vessel wall back to the liver to convert it into bile acid and excrete it.

Misconception 5: Those who are thin have low cholesterol levels

Not always. Contrary to popular belief, there are also overweight people with normal cholesterol and thin people with high cholesterol. The most recent example. the very thin wife of former chancellor Gerhard Schröder, who had higher cholesterol than her husband despite a healthy diet and now has it under control with exercise and a targeted diet.

So what could be the reason if a person is thin, eats healthy and still has extremely high values? High cholesterol levels can then be inherited, called hypercholesterolemia.

According to a Danish study, it affects about one in 300 people worldwide, but only 15 percent of those affected are aware of their disease and the risks associated with it.

Quick and easy tips for everyday life. How to keep your cholesterol under control

Tip 1: This is a good way to estimate your own cholesterol levels

To determine if you have high cholesterol, it is enough to measure your blood cholesterol level. For diagnosis, total cholesterol, HDL and LDL cholesterol, as well as triglycerides are examined.

One is considered cheap Total cholesterol is less than 200 mg/dL and a LDL cholesterol level less than 115 mg/dL.

What is also worth it for you? Looking at the ratio of the two types of cholesterol to each other, the so-called LDL/HDL-Quantity. If there are no other risk factors, this value should be below 4.

Tip 2: You can keep your cholesterol under control with these simple dietary tips

Good to know. A balanced diet can have a positive effect on blood fat levels and other health risks such as high blood pressure, obesity and type 2 diabetes.

Nutritional advice. what should be paid attention to?

  • Cut back on simple carbs like pasta, rice, potatoes, white bread or toast and choose whole grains, as they keep you fuller for longer and are good for your gut.
  • Be sure to include plenty of vegetables in your daily menu, low-sugar fruits such as dark berries are also suitable.
  • Top tip: Oats, such as rolled oats or oat bran. It contains valuable beta-glucan, which can help regulate cholesterol levels.
  • Proteins, but true. Low-fat dairy products, nuts or legumes 2-3 times a day, with an occasional egg, fish or meat is a good mix.
  • What people tend to overlook. hidden fats and sugars in ready meals and fast food; pay more attention to them.
  • The right fats even help lower cholesterol: flaxseed oil, olive oil, canola oil instead of butter or lard.
  • Walnut acts as a medicine. 1 small handful per day can lower cholesterol by 10-20%.
  • No sugary drinks such as sodas; Juices always as spritzers, low alcohol.

In addition to a proper diet, small tricks in everyday life can also help lower cholesterol levels in the kitchen.

  • Remove the pieces of fat from the meat and do not eat
  • It is better to buy low-fat dairy products and pay attention to the sugar in the ingredients
  • It is better to cook the food in the oven instead of frying it in a pan, this also saves fat
  • Use covered pans. this way you should consume less fat
  • Favorite trick: Add the food to the pan after the fat is heated, this way the food absorbs less of it.

And don't forget. it's all about movement.

You probably already guessed. diet is only one side of the coin. abstinence from alcohol, avoiding smoking, regular exercise and weight loss are other pillars on which a low cholesterol value is based.

The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends 2.5 to 5 hours of physical activity per week, such as walking, swimming or cycling.

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