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Saturday, April 14, 2007
Hey!
Just read an article by Harvard School Of Public Health about Cholestrol and Fats. Apparently, cholestrol is not as evil as we all think it is.
Take a look at this:
"Detailed research -much of it done at Harvard - shows that the total amount of fat in the diet, whether high or low, isn't really linked with disease. What really matters is the type of fat in the diet. New results from the large and long Women's Health Initiative Dietary Modification Trial showed that eating a low-fat diet for 8 years did not prevent heart disease, breast cancer, or colon cancer, and didn't do much for weight loss, either"
The article then goes on to say that Cholestrol in the bloodstream is what increases the risk of heart diseases. And what influences the cholestrol in the bloodstream is the fats in the bloodstream, since we only absorb 25% of our bloodstream cholestrol.
(Our body makes 75% of the cholestrol in the bloodstream)
So what is cholestrol?
Cholesterol is a wax-like substance. The liver makes it and links it to carrier proteins called lipoproteins that let it dissolve in blood and be transported to all parts of the body. Why? Cholesterol plays essential roles in the formation of cell membranes, some hormones, and vitamin D
So maybe cholesterol is not that bad after all right? i mean, according to the definition, which i credit to
http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/fats.html, it does help the body!
However, with too much fats comes high cholesterol levels. And then this happens:
1. Deposits of cholesterol build up inside arteries
2. Deposits, called plaque, narrow an artery, enough to slow or block blood flow
3. Narrowing process occurs in arteries that nourish the heart (the coronary arteries)
4. Heart muscles will thus be unable to receive enough blood
5. Without the oxygen and nutrients that the blood carries, chest pain may occur
6. Plaque can rupture, causing blood clots that lead to heart attack, stroke, or sudden death
SCARY SIA!!
For all you people out there who has been wondering how exactly does excess fats cause heart diseases,death, this is highly likely the way it happens!
Oh yes! These excess fats are usually saturated and/or trans fat. Here's a look at how they cause high cholesterol levels:
Saturated fats: raise total blood cholesterol levels more than dietary cholesterol because they tend to boost both good HDL and bad LDL cholesterol. The net effect is negative, nevertheless.
Trans fats: are even worse for cholesterol levels than saturated fats because they raise bad LDL and lower good HDL. They also fire inflammation, an overactivity of the immune system that has been implicated in heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and other chronic conditions.
Notice that they mention HDL and LDL. Well, they are actually refering to - in layman's terms- "good" cholesterol and "bad" cholesterol respectively.
Cholesterol-carrying lipoproteins play central roles in the development of atherosclerotic plaque and cardiovascular disease. there are 2 main types:
"BAD" CHOLESTEROL: Low-density lipoproteins (LDL) carry cholesterol from the liver to the rest of the body. An excess of LDL can be deposited on the walls of the coronary arteries.
"GOOD" CHOLESTEROL: High-density lipoproteins (HDL) carry cholesterol from the blood back to the liver, which processes the cholesterol for elimination from the body. HDL makes it less likely that excess cholesterol in the blood will be deposited in the coronary arteries. Hence, it is good!
In general, the higher your LDL and the lower your HDL, the greater your risk for atherosclerosis and heart disease.
(Ps: I thought I find this out since I was curious myself. I mean, people have been saying fats ain't good but they never say HOW. So i hope it answered such questions!)
