"Cholesterol"

Hello 👋 Steemian friends,
How are you all? I hope you are well. I am fine by the grace of Allah Ta'ala. Today, I am going to participate in the contest organized by the honorable moderator @khursheedanwar in Healthy Steem community. The name of Contest title is "Cholesterol". Thank you @khursheedanwar for organizing such a beautiful and timely contest.

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I will try to answer all the questions in the contest. So let's begin.

What is cholesterol level and what are it's types?

Cholesterol is a waxy substance found in the body's cells that helps make various hormones, vitamin D, and digestive juices. Cholesterol is produced in our body by the liver and also enters the body through certain foods. Cholesterol levels are usually measured in milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL).

Cholesterol is mainly of two types:
Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) or “bad” cholesterol: This can cause fatty deposits in the arteries, blocking blood flow and increasing the risk of heart disease. High levels of LDL cholesterol are not healthy.

High-density lipoprotein (HDL) or “good” cholesterol: It carries excess cholesterol away from artery walls to the liver, where it is processed. High levels of HDL cholesterol help reduce the risk of heart disease.

There are some other Clostals as well. Namely:
Triglyceride: This is a type of fat found in the blood. High levels of triglycerides can also increase the risk of heart disease.

Total Cholesterol: This is the sum of LDL, HDL, and triglycerides.

What kind of investigations are used to measure level of cholesterol?

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A test done to measure cholesterol levels is a lipid profile or lipid panel. This is a type of blood test that helps measure the levels of various types of cholesterol and triglycerides in the blood. This test is also used to assess the risk of cholesterol-related heart disease.

Elements that are measured in the test:
Total Cholesterol: It indicates the total amount of cholesterol present in the blood. A value below 200 mg/dL is considered healthy.

Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol: LDL cholesterol is called "bad" cholesterol because it can build up and cause blockages in arteries. High levels of LDL increase the risk of heart disease. Generally, LDL cholesterol below 100 mg/dL is considered healthy.

High-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol: HDL cholesterol is called "good" cholesterol, because it carries excess cholesterol away from artery walls for processing in the liver. HDL cholesterol above 40 mg/dL is considered good, and 60 mg/dL or higher helps reduce the risk of heart disease.

Triglycerides: It is a type of fat present in the blood. Excess calories from food are stored by the body in the form of triglycerides. Triglyceride levels below 150 mg/dL are considered normal, and higher levels may increase the risk of heart disease.

Why HDL is good cholesterol?

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HDL (high-density lipoprotein) cholesterol is called "good" cholesterol because it plays a beneficial role in the body. HDL cholesterol collects excess cholesterol from the arteries and carries it back to the liver, where it is processed and excreted from the body. This process helps the arteries maintain clear and normal blood flow, which reduces the risk of heart disease. HDL removes cholesterol deposits from arteries, which prevents narrowing or blocking of arteries. It plays an important role in preventing atherosclerosis (hardening of the artery walls by fatty deposits). In turn, high levels of HDL cholesterol reduce the risk of fatty deposits in the arteries, thereby reducing the risk of heart attack and stroke. HDL cholesterol has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, which prevent damage to arteries and keep arteries healthy.

For this reason, the higher the level of HDL cholesterol, the better, as it helps prevent heart disease.

I invited my three friends to participate this amazing contest.
@shantoislam
@najmulislam10
@sana-khan01