Basic Information About Cholesterol

Cholesterol is a waxy, fatty substance that is found in every
cell of the body It is involved in the production of cell
membranes, some hormones, vitamin D, bile acids, and other
tissues in the body It also insulates nerves Cholesterol is
produced in the liver, but we also get cholesterol from our diet
The amount of cholesterol in the body depends on factors such as
the rate of cholesterol production in the liver, the rate of
cholesterol clearance from the body, the amount of dietary fat
(particularly saturated fat) and to a lesser extent, cholesterol
consumed
The excess cholesterol in our body circulates in the
bloodstream High levels of cholesterol in the blood can clog
blood vessels and increase the risk fro heart disease and stroke
Different types of Cholesterol
Low-Density Lipoprotein (or LDL) cholesterol is a bad type of
cholesterol that is most likely to clog blood vessels,
increasing you risk for heart disease High-Density Lipoprotein
(or HDL) cholesterol is a good type of cholesterol HDL
cholesterol helps clear the LDL cholesterol out of the blood and
reduces your risk for heart disease
Cholesterol Heart Disease
High cholesterol is one of the major contributors to heart
disease Research strongly indicates that lowering of
cholesterol leads to a drop in the occurrence of heart disease
The main reason for this is because with less blood cholesterol,
there is less plaque formation within the arterial walls This
will reduce the chances or an artery becoming blocked and
causing a heart attack or stroke Also, blood will flow through
arteries with greater ease and this can lower blood pressure
Reasons which lead to a Rise in Cholesterol:
Poor eating habits Smoking Excess weight or Obesity Heredity
factor Daily Stress Over Alcohol consumption
Ways to control or lessen Cholesterol:
Good eating habits It is very important to follow good eating
habits in order to lower your cholesterol
Regular exercising Experts recommend at least 30 minutes or more
of moderate-intensity physical activity five days a week for at
least 12 weeks for significant cholesterol reduction
Weight loss and maintaining it You can lower your LDL (“bad
cholesterol”) and elevate your HDL (“good cholesterol”) just by
dropping some pounds

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