Cholesterol is also known as cholesterol. It is a derivative of cyclopentane polyhydrophenanthrene. Cholesterol was discovered in gallstones as early as the 18th century, and in 1816 the chemist Bencher named this lipid-like substance cholesterol. Cholesterol is widely found in animals, especially in brain and nerve tissue, but also in kidney, spleen, skin, liver and bile. Its solubility is similar to that of fat, insoluble in water and easily soluble in solvents such as ether and chloroform. Cholesterol is an important substance indispensable for animal tissues and cells. It is not only involved in the formation of cell membranes, but is also a raw material for the synthesis of bile acids, vitamin D and steroid hormones. It is generally known that lipids are divided into two main groups. Lipids (mainly triglycerides) are the most abundant lipids in the body and are a major source of energy in the body; the other category is called lipids, which are the basic components of biological membranes, accounting for about 5% of body weight, and include phospholipids, glycolipids, and a very important one called cholesterol. Cholesterol is divided into two types: high-density cholesterol and low-density cholesterol. The former has a protective effect on cardiovascular disease and is often called “good cholesterol”, while the latter is high and increases the risk of coronary heart disease and is often called “bad cholesterol”. A blood cholesterol level between 140-199 mg per unit is a relatively normal cholesterol level. Cholesterol is made up of a steroid portion and a long side chain. The total amount of cholesterol in the human body is about 0.2% of body weight, with bone containing about 10 mg, skeletal muscle about 100 mg, internal organs mostly between 150 and 250 mg, and liver and skin at slightly higher levels of about 300 mg. The brain and nerve tissues contain the highest amount, about 2 grams per 100 grams of tissue, and the total amount accounts for about l/4 of the whole body. generally elevated cholesterol levels are the main reason for the rapid increase in the incidence of coronary heart disease and death in China, so we should pay attention to the prevention and treatment of high cholesterol. The newly published Asia-Pacific Cardiovascular Cohort Study shows that the incidence of cardiovascular disease in Asia is growing rapidly and will be concentrated in adolescents and urban populations in the future. It is expected that the probability of heart disease among middle-aged people in China will be equal to that of the United States in 2010, and that China will experience a second peak in cardiovascular disease with high stroke and rapidly rising myocardial infarction. The sources of cholesterol are: (1) Exogenous intake. Almost all dietary cholesterol comes from animal foods, with poultry eggs and animal organs and brain marrow being the most abundant. Most of the cholesterol in food is free (free) cholesterol, and a small amount is cholesterol esters. After eating, free cholesterol in food is combined with phospholipids and bile salts in the lumen of the small intestine to form particles, which are absorbed by intestinal mucosa cells and combined with long-chain fatty acids to form cholesterol esters. Most of the cholesterol esters form celiac particles, while a small amount forms very low density lipoproteins, which enter the blood circulation via the lymphatic system. Cholesterol esters need to be hydrolyzed to free cholesterol by pancreatic cholesterol esterase in order to be absorbed by the body. About 40% of cholesterol in food is absorbed by the small intestine. (2) Endogenous synthesis. Under normal conditions, more than half of the cholesterol required by the body is synthesized by the body itself. Endogenous cholesterol is synthesized from acetic acid in the liver and small intestine mucosa. Acetyl coenzyme A produced from sugar, protein, and fat metabolism is the substrate for cholesterol synthesis, and the synthesis process is catalyzed by B a hydroxy a p a methylglutarate monoacyl coenzyme A reductase, and the generated cholesterol also enters the blood circulation in the form of lipoproteins. The liver is the organ that synthesizes cholesterol most vigorously, accounting for more than half of the synthesized weight, followed by the small intestine and skin. The following foods are recommended for high cholesterol: 1, kelp: rich in oxalic acid, which can lower blood pressure and cholesterol in the bile; containing food fiber fucoidan, which can also inhibit the absorption of cholesterol and promote excretion. 2, fish: If you want to eat meat but are afraid that it will make your cholesterol rise, then eat fish. Because the fatty acids contained in fish are very good for the heart. And fatty acids can lower blood pressure, triglycerides, and can also prevent strokes. 3, leek: leek contains calcium, phosphorus, iron, sugar and protein, vitamin A, C, but also contains carotene and a lot of fiber, etc., can enhance gastrointestinal motility, has a good laxative effect, can eliminate excess nutrients in the intestines, including excess fat, to achieve the effect of weight loss and body contouring. 4, carrots: rich in calcium pectinate, which is discharged from the stool after a chemical reaction with bile acids. The body to produce bile acids will inevitably use the cholesterol in the blood, thus contributing to the reduction of cholesterol levels in the blood. 5, corn: corn contains a large amount of calcium, phosphorus, selenium and lecithin, vitamin E and other trace elements, all of which can reduce serum cholesterol. 6, mushrooms: can significantly reduce serum cholesterol, triglycerides and low-density lipoprotein levels, regular consumption can make the body have a relative increase in high-density lipoprotein trend. 7, soybeans: beans are nature’s cheapest, most common and most effective anti-cholesterol food, eat 28 grams of soy foods daily, can reduce 10% of total cholesterol, LDL (bad cholesterol) and triglycerides. To lower cholesterol, soy products such as tofu, soy milk, and miso can be included in your regular diet. 8. Garlic: Garlic can lower total cholesterol as well as bad cholesterol. Experiments in Seattle also found that taking one garlic oil pill equivalent to three cloves of garlic per day can also increase good cholesterol by 23%. 9, winter melon: winter melon has a very good weight loss effect, regular consumption of winter melon, can remove excess body fat, to achieve weight loss, body shaping effect, thus reducing your cholesterol from the other side. 10, oysters: rich in zinc and oxalic acid, etc., especially oxalic acid can promote the breakdown of cholesterol and help reduce blood lipid levels. For patients with high cholesterol, avoid eating foods rich in cholesterol, such as pig kidney, pig liver, chicken liver, shrimp skin, fresh crab yolk, quail egg, lamb’s head meat, puffed duck egg, salted duck egg, duck egg yolk, egg yolk, pig brain and other foods. Be careful not to overeat, do not eat fried food and so on these unhealthy way of eating. Also participate in more outdoor exercises, such as morning running, tai chi, etc., so as to fundamentally lower cholesterol. For people over 40 years of age, they should pay attention to regular medical checkups and monitor their cholesterol levels. If diet control is not effective, they need adjunctive medications, which are commonly used: the more common ones are statins: used as the first-line treatment for most patients with hyperlipidemia (excess blood cholesterol). Statins block the production of specific enzymes in the body that make cholesterol. This class of drugs has been shown to reduce the risk of first heart attacks, as well as recurrent heart attacks and strokes in patients with known disease. This class of drugs has also been shown to reduce the risk of death in patients with heart failure. Statins have been shown to be effective in lowering LDL and somewhat effective in lowering triglycerides. Although statins may also increase HDL levels, they do not appear to be as effective as other cholesterol-lowering drugs. Statins usually have few side effects, although there have been some reports of a rare form of muscle degeneration called rhabdomyolysis, and there have been reports of statins being associated with memory loss, but these are rare side effects. Regular blood tests are necessary to monitor both lipid side effects and to monitor liver function. The selection of statins is based on a combination of clinical considerations, including total cholesterol levels, LDL levels, HDL levels, previous history of myocardial infarction and coronary artery disease, and other risk factors for significant diabetes mellitus. Statins have also been shown to have a beneficial effect on arteries unrelated to the degree of cholesterol reduction. This effect is thought to be the result of an anti-inflammatory effect through the stabilization of atherosclerotic plaques. For this reason, some studies have suggested that an intensive direct statin therapy could be initiated for those hospitalized patients with coronary artery disease.