What, exactly, is cholesterol?

August 29, 2012 sarah Uncategorized

Here’s a question for you: what is cholesterol? Seems it’s a form of fatty, waxy stuff which even an individual’s own liver produces it. It’s actually needed for health and it’s a part of every cell in your body!

Did you know that cholesterol is actually essential for:: Keep the cell wall healthy, Help the body produce enough vitamin D, Aid keep cell walls healthy, aid in producing vitamin D, aid in digestion.

We require cholesterol therefore we make it ourselves. You also get some through certain food items, significantly from animals, like meat or dairy. Fruit and vegetables contain no cholesterol at all. Any time the body produces an excess of cholesterol it sits in the blood stream and gradually it can block up your blood vessels. That will increase your threat regarding heart ailments and the ‘silent killer’, stroke.

So why are foods high in cholesterol so bad?

If you consume a lot of animal fats – also called saturated fats -your body could generate too much cholesterol. And a high cholestrol levels should really not be ignored. Now there are different kinds of cholesterol and they each have a distinct role to perform in your health.

“Good” cholesterol is known as HDL. This is the opposite of the LDL, so it’s High Density Lipoprotein. This actually ‘sweeps up’ the ‘bad’ cholesterol from the blood stream. This means you need to know your cholesterol ratio to know whether you have a ‘normal’ cholesterol level.

So called bad cholesterol is known as LDL which stands for Low Density Lipoprotein. This is the one that can increase your odds of getting heart disease by clogging up your arteries. When that occurs blood circulation through the artery is reduced.

If you monitor your cholesterol routinely you will find out when you have high cholesterol. And in the event that you do have high cholesterol it makes good sense to reduce your LDL cholesterol if you can. And if your levels are high you should do it as soon as possible. Since it’s been estimated that about 50% of American citizens have high cholesterol levels, it’s wise for everyone to get their level tested and do something about it.

You should always look for the guidance of your doctor or alternative qualified health professional before starting any kind of new treatment or making any changes to prevailing treatment. No health information on this site has been evaluated by the FDA. You should not use the information to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.

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