Cholesterol
For years, cholesterol has been a major concern for millions of people around the world. This fear of cholesterol has led to many consultations with specialists like physicians and nutritionists. It seems that there is a great misconception about this molecule. A majority of the population is conscious of the harm that it can cause, but they are not aware that it has pertinent values to our body. There are two major forms that cholesterol comes in: 1) low density lipoprotein, which is generally considered "bad" cholesterol and 2) high density lipoprotein, which is known as "good" cholesterol. Although given these names, there is nothing inherently good or bad about them. This research will clarify a lot of the misconceptions that are associated with cholesterol and the overall effect that cholesterol has on the human body. Cholesterol is a soft, fat like substance made up of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen, that is found in all the body's cells and is used to form cell membranes, manufacture hormones and other necessary substances. It is an organic compound belonging to the sterol family that also encompasses steroids. Cholesterol is produced two ways. The first is by the liver. "The liver produces about 50,000,000,000,000,000 ch
In conclusion, both LDL's and HDL's are neither good nor bad. They each have a specific purpose and function that is vital to the human body. Only when excessive amounts are taken, do they present a risk to the health of a human. Watching what is eaten, exercise, and regular testing can assure a long and healthy life without the concern of cholesterol. When checking the HDL cholesterol in the blood, a desirable reading would be above 35 mg/dL. For Americans, the average level is between 45 and 65 mg/dL. There is evidence that shows that for every 1 mg/dL decrease in HDL, your risk for heart disease increases by 2 to 3 percent. Another way to measure the HDL in the blood is by a "cholesterol ratio". This is determined by taking the total cholesterol in the blood and dividing it by the HDL level in the blood. According to the AHA, a safe ratio is below 5:1, with the ideal ratio being 3.5:1. In addition to VLDL's and LDL's, there is another form of lipoprotein called high density lipoprotein or "HDL". This package, which counts for 20-30 percent of the bodies total blood cholesterol, is also synthesized in the liver but it contains a higher percentage of triglycerides and a lower percentage of cholesterol. It is believed by many researchers to be "good" cholesterol because whereas low density lipoproteins are sent through the bloodstream to the different parts of the body that needs the cholesterol, the HDL's are sent through the bloodstream to collect the excess cholesterol, take it away from the arteries, and bring it back to the liver where it is broken down, reprocessed, or excreted. This process decreases the accumulation of cholesterol in the arteries which in turn reduces the risk of heart disease, which is where HDL's get their reputation of being the "good" cholesterol. There are many factors that can lower the LDL in the blood. The first is the diet. Cutting down on saturated fats in a diet can decrease your total cholesterol ratio. Eating healthier, like using unsaturated fats such as corn, peanut, safflower, olive, and soybean oils can raise HDL lev
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Approximate Word count = 1403
Approximate Pages = 6 (250 words per page double spaced)
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