The Kings visit us once a year, cholesterol can be se.

-the implications of the Christmas excesses may extend beyond aesthetics: experts consider that you between December 15 and January 15 runs what is known as the month of cardiovascular risk ”

-Recent studies show that one of every two Spaniards had high cholesterol, but knows it only 50% of people (1): experts recall the importance of reducing cholesterol, one of the major risk factors in the development of diseases of the heart

Barcelona, January 2011.- one of the main risks after the holiday season is to start the year with excess cholesterol in our arteries. Neglecting food and good habits during the Christmas season can lead to an increase in cardiovascular risk factors like cholesterol, can pass bill later to cardiovascular health, as it highlights one of the leading experts in the country, Juan Pedro-Botet, President of the Spanish society of Arteriosclerosis (SEA). So the doctor says that you between December 15 and January 15 extends a period known as the month of cardiovascular risk ”.

Pedro-Botet, who is also responsible for the unity of lipids and Cardiovascular risk in the Hospital of the sea of Barcelona, underscores the importance of having a clean arteries ” are the roads by which the blood flows to the heart ”. In this connection, the expert stressed that the habits of life adopted by the Spaniards during the holiday season generate a greater danger of obstruction, to increase the weight and cholesterol in the blood ”.

cholesterol is one of the major risk factors in the development of diseases of the heart. When there is an excess of bad cholesterol (LDL), he began to produce a narrowing of the arteries by accumulation (arteriosclerosis), which can lead to cardiovascular problems larger.

Juan Pedro-Botet explains that you one of the main problems, as it has completed the study ENRICA, is that 50% of the Spanish has high cholesterol and half of them do not know. For this reason, is of vital importance to make periodic reviews ”, underlines the doctor, and reduce cholesterol levels when they are increased ”.

Plan of attack against cholesterol

After Christmas, it is important to recover soon healthy nutritional and lifestyle habits. For controlling cholesterol levels and achieve a healthy arteries is essential a food pattern based on the Mediterranean diet (rich in fruits and vegetables) combined with food intake with plant sterols and the regular practice of physical exercise ”, says Rosa Solá, an expert in nutrition of the Spanish Arteriosclerosis society (SEA).

Solá emphasizes that the best advice for healthy start to the year is less dish and more shoe ”, i.e., move more and eat in a sensible and intelligent way. As cholesterol does not produce symptoms, it is important, moreover, perform periodic analytical to review their standards and avoid foods high in saturated fat content.

Cholesterol

Cholesterol is a vital substance that is present in all cells of the human body. It is a FAT (lipid) that is essential to carry out different physiological processes, such as the digestive cycle and production of hormones, but must always be present in a controlled way.

It is necessary to distinguish between cholesterol two types of cholesterol. LDL (bad cholesterol), circulates in the blood to tissues and cells throughout the body. If there is an excess and is not limited in time are will accumulate on the walls of the arteries, being able to get to block them. On the other hand, HDL (good cholesterol), is in charge of removing cholesterol from the arterial wall and take it to the liver to metabolize it.

Recommended total cholesterol blood concentrations are up to 200 mg/dl, LDL to 130 mg/dl and HDL above 40 mg/dl.

On arteriosclerosis

Atherosclerosis is the process by which arteries is van blocking, due to an accumulation of lipids (primarily triglycerides and bad cholesterol (LDL)) on its walls, something that is going to hamper the passage of blood and, therefore, the risk of blockages. If they occur can trigger cardiac manifestations of greater importance.

On plant sterols

Plant sterols are natural compounds that have a structure similar to cholesterol and to help control blood cholesterol levels. They are present in certain natural foods (fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts) but they also add functional, such as juices and fermented milk food.

Referencia:

(1) Study ENRICA. Study of nutrition and Cardiovascular risk in Spain. AESAN.