Obesity and high cholesterol levels in the body, along with any other health problem such as high blood pressure, can give rise to Metabolic syndrome, which is dangerous for your heart. Prevention of both is necessary to lower triglycerides and to maintain a better health profile.

Looking thin and socially presentable is not the only reason why weight loss is important. Good health is vital for achieving a good health profile, which is often the reason doctors recommend weight loss for persons of all ages. Any excess fat stored in the body, especially in areas such as the stomach, thighs, arms, or face can lead to obesity. When the body weight is 20% higher than the ideal recommended body weight, the condition is called obesity. A body mass index (BMI) of more than 25 indicates obesity. Various health problems accompany obesity, key among which are elevated blood pressure and sugar levels, jointpains, limitation in movement and breathlessness. However, the most important health problems accompanying obesity is high cholesterol levels.

Cholesterol is made by the body and is required to make certain hormones, for enzyme activity and for synthesis of vitamin D. It travels in the blood stream in the form of lipoproteins, i.e. fats bound with proteins and triglycerides. Triglycerides are the simplest form of fats circulating in the blood. Triglycerides are of two types: high density lipoproteins (HDL), often termed ‘good’ cholesterol, and low density lipoproteins (LDL), often rapped as ‘bad’ cholesterol. Both types of triglycerides are important for our body in regulated quantities. Fat circulates in the blood in the form of triglycerides as a source of energy. Cholesterol is also present in many foods that we consume daily. Let us consider the 8 important points to understand this correlation of cholesterol and obesity and why weight loss is desirable to lower health risk.

• Obesity puts you at the risk of also having high cholesterol and triglyceride levels. It increases the risk of diabetes, PCOS, heart diseases and stroke. Obesity increases the level of LDL and triglycerides our liver synthesizes. Also, obesity decreases the clearance of triglycerides from the blood circulation. This can lead to atherosclerosis and heart diseases.
• Weight loss can help lower cholesterol and triglyceride levels to reduce the risk of other diseases.
• Lower your risk of obesity and high cholesterol by weight loss and by understanding sources of your calories. The nutrition labels on food products can help only partially. Fats should be lower as a source of energy in the foods you consume. Eat five to six small meals in a day. Snack on high fibre and low calorie foods between meals.
• Increase intake of fibre in the diet. Fibre binds with excess cholesterol and flushes it out of the body. Consume foods such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, pulses, etc. to increase your fibre intake. Fibre also increases the satiety level, lowering your hunger for longer after a meal, thus aiding weight loss.
• Exercise is necessary to increase metabolism and energy expenditure of the body, to prevent obesity. Exercise also helps increase the level of ‘good’ cholesterol (HDL) in the body, helping you to maintain a healthy lipid profile.
• Restrict the amount of saturated fat in the diet. The type of fat we consume is very important to control cholesterol and obesity. Avoid saturated fats such as ghee, butter, margarine, etc. Choose monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA) and polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) oils such as groundnut oil, mustard oil, sunflower oil, etc.
• Omega 3 fatty acids are good for a healthy heart. As Omega 3 fatty acids are not made by our body, they need to be obtained from diet or supplements. Flax seeds are a good source and help lower triglyceride and cholesterol levels in the blood. FLAX SEED OIL from BestSource Nutrition is a concentrated source of omega 3 and omega 6 fatty acids.
• Maintaining the ideal body weight is crucial to maintain optimal cholesterol levels.Certain supplements like LOSE FAT™ from BestSource Nutrition increase exercise endurance of the body through natural ingredients. This bio-combination of five ingredients helps control appetite and aids good health by adding vitality and energy levels as well as suppressing appetite, thus preventing overeating and obesity.