什么是胆固醇?
胆固醇 101: An introduction
If you’re reading this, you probably care about your health and the role cholesterol can play. That’s an important first step.
那么，什么是胆固醇呢? 它能做什么??
胆固醇 is a waxy substance throughout the body. It’s not “bad” unless you have too much of it. Your body needs it to build cells and make vitamins and other hormones. But too much cholesterol can pose a problem.
胆固醇 comes from two sources. Your liver makes all the cholesterol you need. The remainder of the cholesterol in your body comes from foods from animals. For example, meat, poultry and dairy products all contain dietary cholesterol.
Those same foods can also be high in saturated and trans 脂肪. These 脂肪 can increase the cholesterol in your body. 对一些人来说, this added cholesterol means they go from a normal cholesterol level to one that’s unhealthy.
一些热带油, 比如棕榈油, palm kernel oil and coconut oil, contain saturated fat that can increase bad cholesterol. These oils are often found in baked goods.
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View an animation of cholesterol.
为什么胆固醇很重要
胆固醇 circulates in the blood. As the amount of cholesterol in your blood increases, so does the risk to your health. High cholesterol contributes to a higher risk of cardiovascular diseases, such as heart disease and 中风. That’s why it’s important to have your cholesterol tested, so you can know your levels.
The two types of cholesterol are: 低密度脂蛋白胆固醇, which is bad, and HDL, which is good. 坏的东西太多了, or not enough of the good kind, increases the risk cholesterol will slowly build up in the inner walls of the arteries, such as those that feed the heart and brain.
Learn more about LDL, HDL and triglycerides.
胆固醇 can join with other substances to form a thick, hard deposit on the inside of the arteries. This narrows the arteries and makes them less flexible – a condition known as 动脉粥样硬化. This can lead to a blood clot forming, which can block one of these narrowed arteries causing a 心脏病 or 中风.
When it comes to cholesterol, remember: check, change and control. 那就是:
- 检查 你的胆固醇水平. It’s key to know your numbers and assess your risk.
- 改变 your diet and lifestyle to help improve your levels.
- 控制 your cholesterol, with help from your health care professional if needed.
High cholesterol is one of the major controllable risk factors for 冠心病心脏病发作和中风. If you have other risk factors such as 吸烟, 高血压 or 糖尿病, your risk increases even more.
The more risk factors you have and the more severe they are, the higher your overall risk.
