High Cholestlerol

Cholesterol

High cholesterol is the best known of all the many threats to a healthy heart. When excess amounts fatty like plaque substance build up along the walls of the arteries, you face a significantly higher risk of a complete blockage, leading to a heart attack or stroke. At normal levels, cholesterol is not a bad thing. On the other hand, its an essential material used by the body to make cell walls and produce hormones, such as testosterone and estrogen. The body produces its own supply of cholesterol in the liver, it's also found in various animal products such as meats, eggs, and, milk. Cholesterol only becomes a threat when the body can't use or get rid of excessive amounts of it.

When one or several lipids combine with proteins this forms lipoproteins, these transport fat throughout the bloodstream. High-density lipoproteins, also known as HDL, carry fat away from body cells, therefore preventing its growth in the artery walls. Low-Density Lipoproteins, also known as LDL, contain a high amount of cholesterol and seem to help the build up of fatty materials in the artery walls. The situation that you should go for would be high HDL and low LDL levels. Your goal should be to keep your overall cholesterol at below 200, with LDL lower than 40, and your HDL should be at around 160. This will lower the risk of heart disease and other related problems with cholesterol.

The tendency to build up high cholesterol may run in families, but extremely high levels are usually the result of a poor diet high in saturated fats and calories, along with little or no exercise. In some cases, high levels of cholesterol may be associated with undiagnosed medical symptoms such as diabetes or low thyroid function. According to the American Heart Association, there would eventually be a 50 percent lower rate of heart disease if Americans would lower their blood cholesterol levels by 25 percent. These statements find confirmation in a 1984 report done by the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institution on the results of a 10 year study. It showed that for every 1 percent of lowered cholesterol, the chances of a heart attack are lowered by 2 percent.

High cholesterol rarely shows any warning signs. Soft, yellowish skin growths called xanthomas, usually in the area near the eyes. Some men develop impotence as the arteries begin to clog up. If you believe