These are just a few remarks you’ll commonly hear from Filipinos talking about cholesterol. It’s very easy to find someone in every household who has high cholesterol levels and already taking cholesterol medication. You can even say it runs in the family. To a point, there’s a truth in that, because it’s not just health conditions that can be inherited, but eating habits as well. And more often than not, a person’s cholesterol levels are dictated by what they eat.
In this article, we’ll take a closer look at cholesterol — what is it, what’s the difference between good and bad cholesterol, and what you can do to maintain healthy cholesterol levels.
Cholesterol: A Brief Definition
A lot of people looking for health tips and reading health articles often want to learn about cholesterol and what role it plays. To understand it better, let us first define what it is.
Cholesterol is a waxy substance produced by the liver. Just like anything that our body naturally creates, it is not inherently bad. The body needs cholesterol for building cells, making vitamins, and producing hormones. However, as too much of anything is bad, the same goes for cholesterol.
The liver produces all the cholesterol that your body needs. When you eat foods high in saturated and trans fats, your liver tends to make more cholesterol than is actually required.
Good and Bad Cholesterol: The Difference Between HDL and LDL Cholesterol
It is recommended that people aged 20 and above get their cholesterol levels checked at least once every five years. Meanwhile, individuals aged 35 and older are generally advised to get tested more frequently. The blood test done to check cholesterol levels is called a lipid profile or lipid panel. This checks the levels of the following:
