Dyslipidemia
The term indicates any disturbance in your blood lipid levels.
Your lipids may be high, low or there may be an abnormality in the ratio of different types of lipids. All these situations come under the broader term Dyslipidemia.
Association of Dyslipidemia With Heart Problems
Most forms of dyslipidemia are closely associated with heart problems. Among them, the commonest in having too much of lipids in blood. This is called Hyperlipidemia.
In hyperlipidemia states, there is too much of lipids in the blood stream. Blood, loaded with lipids droplets, flows in the vessels and tends to stick to the walls. Gradually, the finer vessels supplying the heart, brain and other organs, may get obstructed.
This results in reduced blood flow to that particular organ. The parts of the organ receiving less blood may suffer from oxygen hunger, medically called ischemia.
The affected parts may get damaged or even die.
What is Atherosclerosis?
Due to many reasons, the walls of our blood vessels may suffer from slight injuries in due course of time. They get irritated or inflamed from inside at some spots.
These spots are sticky and rough. Excess lipids in blood tend to stick over such spots, creating plaques.
With time, these plaques grow in size to eventually narrow the affected vessel.
Narrowed vessels are the chief cause of strokes and heart attacks.
Good Cholesterol And Bad Cholesterol
Lipids flowing in the blood are chiefly of three types-
- LDL, low density lipoproteins These are also called bad cholesterol.
- HDL, high density lipoproteins, also called good cholesterol.
- Triglycerides
We have all these three types of lipids in our blood. Their comparative levels in blood are important.
Having more HDL than LDL is beneficial. Triglycerides are the fat we take in our diet. Remember here that excess of carbohydrates, sugars, alcohol also get converted into this type of fat, and is stored in our belly.
Cholesterol Ratio
Doctor typically use this ratio as a predictor for heart diseases.
The ratio is obtained by dividing the HDL level by the total cholesterol level.
Total cholesterol would include HDL, plus LDL, added to 20% of triglyceride level.
How to Increase HDL Levels Naturally?
Start exercising from today on a daily basis. Avoid all junk food, biscuit, cakes etc. They contain the worst form of fat, called trans fat.
Include the following in your diet-
- Whole fruits
- Seasonal vegetables
- Whole grains
- Nuts, like almonds, cashew, avocado
- Flax seeds, pumpkin seeds,
- Olive oil
- Beans and other pulses
PCOS and Dyslipidemia
PCOS, polycystic ovary syndrome, is a common endocrine disturbance found in young females these days.
The main cause of having a cystic ovary has been found out to be insulin resistance.
Deposition of fat in the belly, especially all around the pancreas, makes it resistant to the action of insulin.
Therefore, the overall fat in the body is definitely linked to PCOS causation.
Malignancy And Dyslipidemia
Research based evidences have shown a close association of the total amount of fat in the body and levels of triglycerides with a few form of cancers, as the colorectal one.
