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The term hyperlipidemia may sound familiar to everyday life, but its effects are far more serious than most people think.
First of all, imagine that there is an invisible weight that has been weighing on your body, and this is the burden that comes with high blood lipids. The existence of this disease is not just a simple increase in the amount of fat in the blood, but also a disorder of a complex system.
Patients with hyperlipidemia often have large amounts of lipids deposited on the lining of blood vessels, such as cholesterol and triglycerides, which act like a thickening rust layer on the inner wall, narrowing the blood vessels and blocking blood flow.
When blood flow is poor, the organs throughout the body do not receive enough oxygen and nutrients, and slowly, this state can lead to a series of complications. The heart, as the body's pump, needs to continuously supply blood to the body.
However, when the blood supply narrows, the heart has to pump more force, which can lead to high blood pressure, angina pectoris, and even myocardial infarction.
And that's not all, because blood vessels are everywhere, from the brain to the toes, a blockage of a blood vessel in any part of the body can lead to loss of function, for example, a blocked blood vessel in the brain can lead to a stroke, and a blockage of a blood vessel in the lower extremity can lead to intermittent claudication.
For patients with hyperlipidemia, the diseases and symptoms behind these medical terms are part of their daily lives. Imagine waking up every day and wondering if you're going to have a sudden chest pain or an unbearable leg pain when you walk.
What's even more frustrating is that hyperlipidemia is often a silent enemy. Many patients may not have noticeable symptoms at all until their condition becomes severe. It's like a ticking time bomb, and you never know when it's going to explode.
Therefore, it becomes crucial to check blood lipid levels regularly, which can not only help detect problems early, but also allow for timely adjustment and treatment. After understanding the severity of this disease, we will understand better why doctors and experts always emphasize the importance of a healthy diet and regular medical check-ups.
You may already know that high blood lipids have a lot to do with diet, exercise habits, etc., but in fact, there are some unknown factors hidden behind it.
First of all, we have to mention an often overlooked culprit – environmental stress. You may be wondering, what does stress have to do with blood lipids? In fact, long-term psychological stress not only affects our mood and sleep, but also indirectly affects our metabolic system.
When a person is in a state of stress, the body secretes more cortisol, a hormone that helps us cope with short-term stress, such as escaping danger. However, long-term high levels of cortisol can lead to an increase in blood sugar and increased body fat accumulation, especially abdominal fat, which is directly related to elevated blood lipid levels.
Let's take a look at our eating habits. It's a common belief that eating greasy foods can cause blood lipids to rise, but what you may not know is that some foods that look healthy on the surface can also contribute to lipid problems if they are not handled properly.
For example, high-temperature cooking (especially frying, grilling, and grilling) destroys nutrients in food and produces free radicals that can increase oxidative stress, which can affect the stability of cholesterol in the body and lead to abnormally high blood lipids. Therefore, even if we choose healthy ingredients, the cooking method is an important part that we cannot ignore.
In addition, our sleep patterns also affect blood lipids. Long-term sleep deprivation can interfere with the body's endocrine system, especially affecting the normal secretion and function of insulin. Insulin is a key hormone that regulates blood sugar and fat storage, and when its function is impaired, blood sugar and lipid metabolism can become problematic.
And all of this can be due to lack of sleep or poor sleep quality every night. These factors constitute a complex network of hyperlipidemia, and they interact and influence each other.
We often focus only on the choices made about the food itself, ignoring the way food is handled, the way we live, and the impact of the invisible microbial world on our health.
Knowing this, we can take more comprehensive measures, not only to simply reduce oil intake, but also to start from all aspects of life to truly prevent and treat hyperlipidemia.
Vegetables like spinach and broccoli are known to have health benefits, but you might not expect that purple cabbage, bamboo shoots, and bitter gourd can also play a huge role in controlling blood lipids. These vegetables are special because they are rich in dietary fiber and special bioactive substances, which play an important role in lowering blood lipids.
Let's start with red cabbage. Not only does this brightly colored vegetable make your plate more colorful, but it also contains a lot of anthocyanins and vitamin C, antioxidants that can help reduce levels of inflammation in the body, which is closely linked to hyperlipidemia and its complications.
What's more, the dietary fiber in purple cabbage can promote the excretion of bile acids, which are mainly made up of cholesterol, a process that can indirectly reduce blood cholesterol levels.
Next, let's take a look at bamboo shoots, a common ingredient in Asian cuisine, which is actually a hidden health treasure. Bamboo shoots are low in calories and high in fiber, especially its insoluble fiber, which is especially important for maintaining gut health.
A healthy gut can help with better control of blood sugar and blood lipids. Moreover, bamboo shoots also contain a variety of trace elements that are beneficial to the cardiovascular system, such as potassium and magnesium, which can help regulate blood pressure and reduce the burden on the heart.
Then there's bitter melon, and while its taste may not be popular with everyone, its efficacy in lowering blood sugar and blood lipids cannot be ignored. Some of the unique bioactive compounds in bitter melon, such as prunella glycosides and polyphenols, are able to enhance insulin sensitivity and lower blood sugar, thereby indirectly helping to control blood lipids.
In addition, bitter gourd also stimulates the oxidation of fatty acids, a process that helps to reduce fat accumulation in the body, which in turn lowers blood lipids. By incorporating these vegetables into our daily diet, we can not only add color and flavor to the table, but also help us enjoy delicious food while fighting high blood lipids.
However, the way you eat your vegetables is also important. Eating raw or lightly steaming is the best way to retain nutrients and bioactives in vegetables, and overcooking can destroy these beneficial components.
While eating a balanced diet, we also need to note that no food is a panacea, and a reasonable diet, moderate exercise and a good lifestyle are the keys to maintaining good health.
Through comprehensive adjustments, we can not only control blood lipids, but also improve our overall health and enjoy a more active life. So, the next time you're planning your plate, consider adding these special veggies, which could be a health aid you didn't expect, adding a new dimension to your wellness journey.
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What do you think about the dangers of hyperlipidemia? Welcome to discuss in the comment area!
Resources
[1] Guo Hongwei. Correlation between pericardiac total fat volume and the risk of coronary heart disease, coronary stenosis and cardiac function in patients with hyperlipidemia. Department of Medical Imaging, Henan Hongli Hospital, 2024-05-25