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Essential Facts You Need To Know About Cholesterol And Oil

Expert advice on cholesterol, how to control bad cholesterol, and how to strengthen your heart function.

Cholesterol powers the body
Cholesterol powers the body (Getty Images)
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By ETV Bharat Health Team

Published : January 30, 2026 at 1:00 PM IST

3 Min Read
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Diet and mental stress severely affect cholesterol levels. When people think of cholesterol, they immediately think of excessive oil consumption. But, just like fuel powers a machine, our body also needs good cholesterol. Here's expert advice that addresses your doubts about cholesterol, how to control bad cholesterol, and how to further strengthen your health and heart function.

Types of Cholesterol

Cholesterol includes both good and bad cholesterol, along with triglycerides. Blood cholesterol is primarily classified into two types: High-Density Lipoprotein (HDL) and Low-Density Lipoprotein (LDL). High-density HDL cholesterol is good and protects health. Low-density LDL cholesterol damages health. It is the cause of many health problems, including heart disease. Another lipoprotein with very low density and triglycerides is VLDL. It stores waste in the heart arteries.

Types of cholesterol
Types of cholesterol (ETV Bharat)

Also read: Are You Gaining Weight Even After Eating Very Little? Do You Know What To Eat And How Much?

HDL Is Useful

HDL cleanses the liver of bad cholesterol. That's why HDL helps in carrying the bad cholesterol (LDL) accumulated in various parts of the body to the liver. If the quantity of LDL is high, it obstructs blood circulation, reducing the blood supply to the heart.

Good cholesterol and bad cholesterol
Good cholesterol and bad cholesterol (ETV Bharat)

What are the symptoms of high cholesterol?

Increased cholesterol in the blood reduces blood flow and speed. This increases the pressure on the heart, leading to high blood pressure. Heart function slows down, causing shortness of breath and palpitations even with fast walking or running. It can even lead to cardiac arrest and be life-threatening.

  • Lumps forming on the body are also symptoms of high cholesterol.
  • The respiratory rate also slows down.
  • There is a feeling of heaviness in the chest, and breathing becomes difficult.
  • Reduced blood circulation causes numbness in the legs.

Also read: If You Feel Pain in These 5 Areas of Your Body, Your Cholesterol Levels Might Be Too High

Reasons for increased cholesterol:

Lack of physical activity, sitting for long periods, and consuming street food, fried foods, junk food, and processed foods increase cholesterol in the blood. Red meat, fats, dairy products, chocolate, and processed foods increase LDL. Doctors say that lack of sleep, which plays a crucial role in maintaining hormonal balance and smooth metabolism, increases stress hormones like cortisol. Sitting for hours on end is also dangerous. This reduces the breakdown of fatty substances in the blood, and HDL levels also decrease. If body weight increases, cholesterol levels also increase.

LDL cholesterol levels
LDL cholesterol levels (ETV Bharat)

Genetic Causes: Doctors say that familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) is inherited. This is also a reason for increased cholesterol levels in the blood.

Also read: Is It Possible To Increase Your Lifespan And Prevent Ageing? Here's What Research Says

How To Lower Cholesterol Levels

Daily exercise helps control obesity and keeps body weight in check. Since people with obesity naturally have higher cholesterol levels, efforts should be made to lose weight. The American Heart Association recommends that adults get at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity exercise per week. Walking, swimming, and dancing can also be practiced. Regular exercise helps keep cholesterol problems under control.

Rice Bran Oil

Rice bran oil helps increase good cholesterol. Rice bran oil contains oryzanol, which is beneficial for the heart. Antioxidants like oryzanol and tocopherols help fight free radicals in the body.

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Read more:

  1. Healthy Recipe For Cholesterol Control, Reduce It While You Eat
  2. Changing Your Cooking Oil Is The First Step In The Fight Against Obesity, Get Excellent Results With Rice Bran Oil!
  3. When Cholesterol Is High, Your Body Sends Out These 10 Early Warning Signs You Shouldn’t Ignore
  4. The Truth About Eggs and Ghee: Should You Avoid Them For Your Heart’s Sake, Do Egg Yolks Really Increase Cholesterol?