Cholesterol is an essential fatty substance (called a lipid), which is present in the circulatory system. It is needed by the body for the production of hormones and vitamin D. A small amount is secreted by the liver, which also removes excess cholesterol from the blood stream, and the rest of it is absorbed through animal sources like meat and dairy. But if you are getting too much bad cholesterol in your diet then it can lead to life threatening conditions such as heart disease.

Cholesterol cannot travel through the blood stream on its own, so it it first needs to bond with a protein. This forms a lipoprotein, and there are two types. The first is a High Density Lipoprotein. This is what doctors and dieticians would call 'good cholesterol' as it removes cholesterol from the walls of the arteries which will then allow the liver to absorb it. The second type is the 'bad cholesterol' which you should try to avoid. Low Density Lipoprotein is what causes an undesirable fatty build up on the artery walls. Left unchecked, this will eventually lead to a narrowing of the arteries which can trigger serious cardiovascular problems, for instance a heart attack.

Potentially dangerous levels of bad cholesterol are usually caused by a poor diet, but it can also be an inherited problem. For example, genetics may mean a person has insufficient LDL receptors in the liver, so too little LDL is absorbed from the blood stream. This is a common problem among men and women who suffer from heart attacks at an unusually young age.

For most people though, keeping your heart and arteries healthy is a matter of eating good food while avoiding the bad. Convenience food is often full of much higher levels of saturated fat than home cooked meals, and the rise of cardiac problems in the populations strongly correlates to the greater availability of processed food. Try instead to eat a varied diet rich in vegetables, fruit, fish and whole grains. Olive oil is a healthier option than vegetable oil, and buy trans-fat margarine for cooking purposes rather than using butter - these are much less likely to cause problematic build up in your arteries.

Another change you should make to your lifestyle if you are concerned about how cholesterol may be affecting your health is to get more exercise. Physical activity raises HDL levels. As already stated, HDL is considered good cholesterol because it helps remove and break down any build up you might already have on your artery walls so it possible to reverse some of the damage you might already have done to your body. It is never too late to reduce your risk of heart disease.



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