- Why LDL Cholesterol Increases
- Symptoms of high LDL cholesterol
- Reference values for LDL cholesterol
- Diet to control LDL cholesterol
The control of LDL cholesterol is essential for the proper functioning of the body, so that the body can produce the hormones correctly and prevent the formation of atherosclerosis plaques in the blood vessels. Therefore, their values must be kept within the appropriate levels, which can be below 130, 100, 70 or 50 mg / dl, varying according to the lifestyle and disease history of each person.
When LDL cholesterol is high, the risk of cardiovascular diseases, such as angina, heart attack or stroke is increased, for example, so to keep them under control, it is important to have healthy lifestyle habits, avoiding smoking, practicing physical exercises, having a diet low in fats and sugars, and in some cases with the use of lipid-lowering drugs, as indicated by the doctor.
See what the cholesterol diet should be like in this video:
Why LDL Cholesterol Increases
High LDL cholesterol is bad for health because it participates in the formation of atheromatous plaques in the vessels of the heart and brain, restricting the passage of blood through these organs, favoring infarction or stroke.
The increase in LDL can be caused by hereditary factors, physical inactivity, diet and age, being particularly dangerous because it has no symptoms. Its treatment is made with simple changes in diet, regular practice of physical activity and, in some cases, use of cholesterol medications, such as simvastatin, atorvastatin or rosuvastatin, for example, prescribed by the doctor. Here are some examples: Cholesterol-lowering drugs.
Symptoms of high LDL cholesterol
High cholesterol (LDL) does not have any symptoms, so it is recommended to perform routine laboratory tests of total cholesterol levels and fractions. The recommendation to perform these tests should be individualized, and guided by the doctor, and people with associated risk factors, such as hypertension, diabetes, smoking or who have a family history of high cholesterol, need greater care and should perform these tests annually.
High LDL cholesterol can be suspected when you are overweight and when eating unruly, with excess sodas, fried foods, fatty and sweet meats.
Reference values for LDL cholesterol
The reference values for LDL cholesterol are between 50 and 130 mg / dl, however this value can vary according to the cardiovascular risk of each person:
| Cardiovascular risk | Who can be included in this risk | Recommended LDL Cholesterol (bad) |
| Low cardiovascular risk | Young people, without disease or with well-controlled hypertension, with total cholesterol between 70 and 189 mg / dl. | <130 mg / dl |
| Intermediate cardiovascular risk | People with 1 or 2 risk factors, such as smoking, high blood pressure, obesity, controlled arrhythmia, or diabetes that is early, mild and well controlled, among others. | <100 mg / dl |
| High cardiovascular risk | People with cholesterol plaques in the vessels seen by ultrasound, abdominal aortic aneurysm, chronic kidney disease, with total cholesterol greater than 190mg / dl, diabetes for more than 10 years or with multiple risk factors, among others. | <70 mg / dl |
| Very high cardiovascular risk | People with angina, heart attack, stroke or other type of arterial obstruction due to atherosclerosis plaques, or with any serious arterial obstruction observed in the exam, among others. | <50 mg / dl |
Diet to control LDL cholesterol
To keep LDL cholesterol within the ideal range, it is recommended to respect some dietary rules:
| What to eat | What not to eat or avoid |
| skimmed milk and yogurt | whole milk and yogurt |
| white and light cheeses | yellow cheeses, such as cheese, catupiri and mozzarella |
| grilled or cooked white or red meats | sausages such as bologna, salami, ham, fatty meats |
| fruits and natural fruit juices | industrialized soft drinks and juices |
| eat vegetables daily | fried foods and foods high in trans fat |
Foods like garlic, artichoke, eggplant, carrots and camelina oil are great for controlling LDL cholesterol naturally. Just like foods rich in omega 3, 6 and 9. But natural fruit juices are also great allies. Here are some examples and how to prepare: Better juices to control cholesterol.
