Female: Cholesterol, you hear the word all the time, but what does it really mean and why should you care?
Male1: Cholesterol is a waxy, fat-like substance found in the bloodstream and in cells throughout the body. Because it often has negative connotations, it may surprise you to learn that cholesterols not inherently bad. In fact, this naturally occurring substance plays a critical role in the formation of cell membranes in the manufacture of hormones. But you only need a small amount of cholesterol to carry out these functions. So when too much cholesterol is present in the body, it becomes a health risk. To understand this more fully, let us look at how cholesterol works.
Cholesterol does not dissolve in the bloodstream, instead, it is transported in and out of the cells by carriers called low-density lipoproteins, or LDL and high-density lipoproteins or HDL. When the amount of cholesterol in the bloodstream increases, the body needs to create additional lipoproteins to transport them. LDL is known as bad cholesterol, because too much of it results in plaque build-up on the arterial walls. This condition known as atherosclerosis hardens and clogs the arteries, which can lead to a heart attack or stroke. HDL, on the other hand, has been dubbed good cholesterol because it aids in removing cholesterol from the body carrying it away from the arteries to the liver where it is passed out of the body.
Determining your cholesterol level can be done with a simple blood test. The normal level of cholesterol for any individual varies depending upon their age, weight and sex. Typically though, an LDL level above 160 is considered high. Similarly, an HDL level below 40 is usually too low. Both high LDL levels and low HDL levels can put you at risk for plaque build up. About 75% of the cholesterol in the blood is made by your liver and other cells in your body. The other 25% comes from the food you eat. Cholesterol is found in animal products like meat, eggs, poultry and liver, which is a particularly high source. This is why eating less saturated fat from animals is a good first step toward lowering your cholesterol to a healthy level. Because high cholesterol can be a big risk factor for both heart disease and stroke. Managing your level is an important part of a healthy lifestyle. If you think you may have high cholesterol, or if you have the family history of the condition, please see your doctor for a test.
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