For a long time cholesterol in totality was seen as a bad thing for your body although the truth was a little more complicated than that. Cholesterol primarily is divided into two types, one of which can be categorized as bad cholesterol and the other as good cholesterol. Let's have an in-depth look at both the categories.

LDL or Low Density Lipoprotein aka bad cholesterol: Cholesterol is a wax like chemical, which is found all over the body and it has important functions to perform. Cholesterol is carried all over the body by Lipoproteins. The low density lipoproteins are denoted as bad cholesterol as they can accumulate on the walls of the blood vessels and cause blockages resulting in many ailments. LDL levels of 190 and above are considered dangerous. 

Some of the risks associated with it are:
1. Heart disease
2. Stroke
3. Atherosclerosis
4. peripheral artery disease among many others

HDL or High Density Lipoprotein aka good cholesterol: This is a form of cholesterol which is usually desired in higher quantities as it removes LDL from the system by dislodging it from the arteries and then carrying it through the blood stream into the liver. The liver then breaks it down and removes it from the body. Thus, higher number of HDL cholesterol is always desirable. 

Some of the ideal numbers for HDL cholesterol within the body are:

Women - Ideal: 60 mg/dl, dangerous: 50 mg/dl or lower
Men - Ideal: 60 mg/dl, dangerous: 50 mg/dl lower

The role of triglycerides
Good and bad cholesterol levels also depend on the levels of triglycerides within the body and not just LDL or HDL cholesterol. Triglycerides are another type of fat which are used to store energy within the body but can also affect your health. It is most associated with atherosclerosis when the levels of triglycerides are high within the body. 

Some habits that contribute to high levels of it are:
a. Lack of physical activity
b. Obesity or being overweight
c. Excesses in alcohol consumption
d. Smoking
e. Bad diet and others

Thus the good cholesterol versus bad cholesterol war also includes other factors, most of which can be easily changed by making subtle changes in lifestyle and incorporating healthier habits. This will increase the good cholesterol and the other relevant elements and reduce the bad.

Good Cholesterol Vs Bad Cholesterol and Factor involved in It

It is a known and proven fact that eating while consuming alcohol is necessary. One tends to grow hungrier, the more he or she drinks alcohol. This is because alcohol has the attribute to stimulate one s appetite in such a way that one would have you craving for food that is rich in salt and high in fibre. Consuming only alcohol ignoring the hunger would lead to several diseases like pancreatitis and issues with the liver.

Though the appetite of an individual during alcohol consumption tends to incline towards snacks like pizza, french fries, nuts and cheese cubes, it is wise to opt for healthier food choices. Salty food can worsen the dehydration effects of the body. And as the body tends to be dehydrated during drinking, it is better to avoid salty food. High-fibre food items are not good for the health either. It delays the digestion process, which is not a good sign for the body. Also, it is also not advisable to eat food in large portions before going to bed, especially after alcohol intake.

There is a variety of healthy food that one can eat along with alcohol

Soup: A clear soup, like chicken clear soup or vegetable clear soup, which has a broth-like texture, is a healthy choice. Creamy soup with cream of chicken or cream of mushroom should be avoided as it would make one heavy, thus delaying the digestion process.
Rice: Plain rice is said to be one of the best food that is easy to digest, paired up with a light vegetable dish. It is very nutritious as well.
Chicken sandwich: Grilled chicken sandwich without cheese and mayo is a healthy food tip as it contains sodium.
Popcorn: Popcorn does not contain fat, neither is it high-fibre. It is the best low-calorie food to go along with alcohol and it tastes really good too.
Wheat crackers: Wheat crackers contain whole grains. It is full of complex carbohydrates, which help the alcohol to absorb easily. It also consists of Vitamin B, which like potassium, gets reduced with the consumption of alcohol.
Banana: It is rich in potassium. Though an individual would never have a banana along with alcohol, it is healthy as the level of potassium should be taken care of while drinking alcohol.
Wheat bread: Wheat bread toast can be consumed with alcohol without butter or cheese. It is an alternative to wheat crackers for those who do not prefer it.
Oats: Cooked food is easy to digest with alcohol, so a pot of cooked oatmeal can be a healthy accompaniment. It can be spiced up a bit to add flavour.
Salad: Salad is refreshing and healthy at the same time. It can be bland, but it is better to have healthy salad as an accompaniment than having salty food with alcohol.
Milk cereal: Cereal, especially whole grain cooked with low-fat milk, is healthy.
By being aware of the right eatables, the ill effects of alcohol can be mitigated to a large extent.

Alcohol - 10 Healthy Foods that You Can Eat With It!

The new epidemic that has taken the world by storm is obesity. The proportion of obese people is increasing and the age of onset of obesity is decreasing gradually.

There is an optimal weight for a given height of a person. Obesity is when a person's weight is 20% more than the optimal weight. It brings with it a host of other health conditions, as it impairs the body s overall functioning.

Diabetes 2: In a normal person, food gets broken down into glucose to provide the required energy for the body using insulin. The body s inability to produce sufficient insulin to convert the excessive amount of sugar in the body leads to diabetes. Growing to be a leading cause of early death, diabetes brings with it a host of complications affecting almost all systems and parts of the body including stroke, kidney disease, blindness, and death. Diabetes and obesity have a direct correlation and can be prevented and managed by eating a balanced diet, losing weight, exercising, and having a healthy lifestyle.

Heart problems: An increased BMI also ups the risk for coronary heart disease (CHD), where the blood vessels are narrowed due to constant accumulation of fat in their inner walls. This gradually reduces the blood flow through these and may when complete cut-off happens, it could result in heart attack or stroke, affecting the heart or the brain. There could also be cases where the heart fails to pump sufficient blood to the rest of the body, affecting their effective functioning. Obese people also have a higher blood pressure than people who maintain a good BMI.

Breathing problems: One of the main causes of labored breathing is excessive weight. The condition called sleep apnea which is sudden bouts of absence of breathing during sleep is very high in obesity. It can cause snoring, daytime sleepiness, increase the risk of heart disease and stroke. In people with sleep apnea, weight loss is one of the first and most recommended therapies. Asthma and general breathing disorders are also higher in obese people.

Abnormal body cholesterol: Obese people also tend to have abnormally higher levels of body fat, especially the bad cholesterol, which again leads to coronary disease. It is a vicious cycle with one leading to the other and aggravating the other.

Osteoarthritis: Added weight leads to pressure on the hips, knees and lower back. There is added wear and tear and pain, which further limits movement.

Cancer: Some cancers, of the colon, endometrium, kidney, pancreas, gallbladder, breast and esophagus are more prevalent in obese people.

These are just some, there are more. The best way to avoid all these is to watch your weight.

Obesity - How It Increases Your Risk of Different Diseases?

Water effectively constitutes 70-75% of human bodies and keeps us protected from many harmful things. But many people have a frequent question: is it alright to drink water before you brush your teeth? Will it harm your body? Let us discuss the same in this article.

Many people believe that they should not drink water before brushing their teeth because of the bacterias present in saliva after you wake up. But this is a myth and it does not have any scientific logic. When you drink water after waking up before brushing, your saliva goes with the water down into the stomach which results in the killing of the bacteria due to the high acid content inside it. Therefore there is absolutely no harm if you drink water before brushing teeth.

If you are familiar with Japanese culture then you must know that the Japanese drink two glasses of water every morning immediately after they wake up. Drinking water immediately after you wake up without brushing your teeth does not harm you in any way. Doctors always recommend drinking two full glass or at least one, on an empty stomach. There are several benefits your body receives when you consume water every morning after you wake up.

Drinking water every morning has its own long list of benefits. Let us have a look at them-

Boosts your immunity- Drinking water every morning strengthens your immunity system. Helps you to fight diseases and germs much better.
Clears the bowels- After your drink water in the morning, you will get an urge of flushing out your bowels. This way the bowels remain clear and you do not face any constipation issues.
Speeds up metabolism- Your metabolism gets boosted when you drink water resulting in faster digestion and metabolic rate. It also keeps you hydrated through the day.
Prevents headaches and migraines effectively and it also helps in preventing colon infection because your bowels get cleared easily.
Helps in weight loss- Drinking water every morning helps you to lose weight by a significant margin due to the fact it occupies the stomach killing the desire to eat much in the morning.
Beneficial for skin- Increase in the freshness of your skin complexion which water delivers if you drink it every day in the morning. It flushes out the toxins and dead cells which helps in increase of new and fresh body cells.
Thus as you can see the long list of benefits you will receive if you drink water every day after you wake up.

Is It Alright To Drink Water Without Brushing Your Teeth?

Most may not be aware of the fact that the human body requires cholesterol for normal functioning. Though normal levels of cholesterol are essential for proper functioning, any fluctuations in these levels can lead to disorders like hyperlipidemia and hypolipidemia.

Cholesterol, a soft, fat-like substance helps in building new cells and secreting hormones. While 80% of the cholesterol is produced by the liver, 20% is obtained from the food you eat. The cholesterol sticks to a protein called the lipoprotein and along with it travels through the bloodstream. Among these lipoproteins, HDL (High-Density Lipoprotein) is good for the body, and the other four namely LDL (Low-Density Lipoprotein), VLDL (Very Low-Density Lipoprotein), and Triglycerides are bad for your body.

Complications
While high blood cholesterol can lead to complications such as heart attack or stroke, low blood cholesterol would indicate the presence of an underlying condition and in either case, proper treatment and management are essential.

Managing high cholesterol

Diet and exercise: The first line of treatment begins with an active lifestyle and a healthy diet. Choosing healthier fats, avoiding trans fats, limiting dietary cholesterol, including whole grains, vegetables, and fruits, and limiting alcohol consumption along with adequate exercise should reduce the levels without medication.
Medication: If the cholesterol levels do not reduce despite m lifestyle changes, the physician will prescribe a combination of medications, considering several factors such as the individual s age, present health condition, and the side effects of the medication. The common drugs used to reduce high cholesterol are statins, bile-acid-binding resins, cholesterol absorption inhibitors, and injectable medications.
Managing low cholesterol: In the case of being diagnosed with low cholesterol, the treatment focus would be handling the underlying condition. 
Irrespective of the type of cholesterol disorder, it is essential to follow the doctor s advice in both cases to avoid the risk associated and lead a healthy life.

Dealing with Cholesterol Disorders

Carotid artery disease occurs when an oily, waxy substance called plaque builds up inside the carotid arteries. These are arteries that supply oxygenated blood to your brain, face, scalp, and neck.
Carotid artery disease is very serious as it can cause a brain stroke. It, in fact, starts with damage to the inner layer of the carotid artery. To stem this damage your body starts a healing process and this leads to a build up of plaque at the point where the artery is damaged.

When this plaque ruptures, platelets are rushed in and these create an obstruction to the flow of blood to the brain. When the blood supply to the brain is cut off, which happens in carotid disease, the brain cells begin to die causing a stroke. This neural death impairs the parts of the body that these brain cells control. So, you can get paralyzed, become speech or vision impaired, have long  term effects like paralysis or even die due to a stroke.

Causes of carotid disease

Smoking
High cholesterol levels
High blood pressure
High levels of sugar in the blood due to diabetes
What s even more worrisome is that carotid artery disease may not cause any signs or symptoms until the carotid arteries are severely narrowed or blocked. And what usually happens is that a stroke becomes the first sign of the disease.

How scary is that?
So, the next question that comes to the mind is - Can this condition be cured? Let s learn more about management and prevention of the same-

Prevention
Lifestyle changes are key. Since hypertension, uncontrolled diabetes, sedentary lifestyles and imbibing too much fat are all risk factors, taking care of them minimizes the risk of carotid disease and strokes. Heart healthy lifestyle changes that include moderate exercise are a great way to prevent carotid disease.

Treatments
Treatments for carotid artery disease include:

Medicines: Sometimes lifestyle changes do not stem the rot. You need medicinal help. Doctors usually prescribe statin medications to control your cholesterol levels. These lower the bad cholesterol that can narrow your carotid arteries and cause brain strokes and damage. Statins are usually prescribed for people who have:

Heart disease
Those who ve had a stroke
Diabetes
High LDL or bad cholesterol levels
Medicines like Aspirin and Clopidogrel to prevent blood clots are the mainstay treatment if you suffer from carotid disease. They prevent platelets from clumping together inside your carotid arteries and forming blood clots. Apart from these, your doctor may also medicate you for conditions that can damage your carotid arteries and cause strokes. These medicines are for lowering your BP, blood sugar levels, preventing the formation of blood clots anywhere in your body including inside your heart, and preventing and reducing inflammation.

Medical Procedures
These are used to open narrowed or blocked carotid arteries.
The two common procedures are:
Carotid endarterectomy: It s mainly for people whose carotid arteries are blocked 50 percent or more. In this, the inner lining of the carotid artery that is blocking blood flow is removed.
Carotid artery angioplasty and stenting: Here, doctors use a procedure called angioplasty to widen the blocked carotid arteries and restore blood flow to the brain. A stent is inserted into your carotid artery to broaden the lumen. 

High Cholesterol Level - Can It Cause Carotid Disease?

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