Just choose to eat... Avoid high cholesterol.

Snacking and eating on a whim, as well as many people’s daytime eating habits, should not be overlooked. These include snacks, fried foods that are difficult to resist, and grilled fatty foods that are favorites of people of all ages. These can harm your body without you realizing it because various diseases can arise if self-control is ignored, potentially leading to high blood lipid disease.

High Blood Lipid Disease is a condition where the body has an imbalance of fat levels in the blood, which may be high cholesterol or high triglycerides, or both. High blood lipid levels are a significant risk factor for heart disease and vascular disease, which can be life-threatening. It is a disorder that can occur in anyone, regardless of age, gender, obesity, or slimness. Basic body composition analysis   Important Types of Blood Lipids

1. Cholesterol: This is a type of fat the body can synthesize by itself from the liver and intestines, or it can be obtained from the food consumed. It is divided into 2 types.

1.1 Bad Cholesterol (LDL cholesterol / LDL): This is bad fat found in animal fat. If this type is high, it accumulates in the inner lining of the arteries, causing hardening, narrowing, or blockage. Blood circulation becomes less easy, and the elasticity of the blood vessels is lost, increasing the risk of vascular disease. The speed of this process depends on the amount of cholesterol and other risk factors, such as high blood pressure, high blood lipids, diabetes, smoking, obesity, and lack of exercise. 1.2 Good Cholesterol (HDL cholesterol / HDL): This type is beneficial in removing excess cholesterol to be destroyed in the liver. People with high levels of this cholesterol can help prevent the hardening of the arteries.

2. Triglycerides: Another type of fat that the body produces on its own or receives from food or alcoholic beverages.

  Causes of High Lipid Levels

• Genetic abnormalities
• Consuming high-fat foods or those that provide more energy than needed by the body
• Having a chronic disease or using certain medications, such as an underactive thyroid gland, diabetes, kidney disease, or using steroids
• Regularly consuming a large amount of alcohol, causing high triglyceride levels
• Lack of exercise

  Why Is High Blood Lipid Level Dangerous?? High blood lipid disease often arises from consuming high-fat foods in quantities exceeding the body’s needs. It may develop inadvertently and without clear symptoms, leaving patients unaware and continuing with the same eating habits until arteries harden, narrow, or become blocked. This can lead to complications such as ischemic heart disease, paralysis, stroke, blockage of the arteries supplying the legs, and very high triglyceride levels may result in acute pancreatitis. Choose Meals to Reduce the Risk of High Blood Lipid Disease 1. Control Your Diet Foods to Eat

• Low-fat or skim milk
• Fish, lean meats by removing all fat and skin, and dry beans
• Unpolished rice
• Various vegetables
• Fruits that aren’t too sweet
• Use vegetable oils like soybean oil, safflower oil, olive oil, corn oil, and rice bran oil for cooking
• Cook types like soup, spicy soup, sour curry, salad, steamed, baked, grilled (without coconut milk)
• Sea fish fats can lower triglyceride levels
• High-fiber foods help lower cholesterol absorption levels

Foods to Avoid

• High-fat foods such as fried foods, foods containing coconut milk like fried chicken, fried bananas, coconut milk curry, Chinese sausages, etc.
• Fatty meats, duck/chicken skin, egg yolks, ham, bacon, processed pork
• Certain seafood like squid and oysters
• Sweets containing sugar and coconut milk or coconut such as bananas in coconut milk, custard desserts, various sticky rice toppings, corn with coconut milk
• Snacks with hidden fats like chips, donuts, cakes, cookies, ice cream
• Animal fats such as butter, lard, beef fat, chicken fat

2. Exercise Regularly for at least 4 days a week, each time for 30-45 minutes, to increase metabolism, help lower cholesterol levels, and increase good fat “HDL” in the blood, providing protection against arterial sclerosis. 3. Quit Smoking Cigarettes lower the “HDL” level in the blood, a risk factor for ischemic heart disease. 4. Lose Weight In some cases, consuming too much fat may increase weight, and consider engaging in weight loss activities. 5.Consult a Doctor Some patients may have risky eating behaviors but may not show symptoms or external changes. They should consult a doctor for monitoring lipid levels and may require medication to lower lipid levels, with guidance and monitoring from a doctor.   Best regards, Dr. Phrompan Pruksakorn Endocrinology Medicine Specialist Internal Medicine Department | Bangkok Hospital Chiang Mai