High Blood Cholesterol

In every cell of your body you will find cholesterol. This fat-like substance is very important since is it is a component of cell membranes and it is also a building block in the formation of some hormones. Remember that your body makes all the cholesterol it needs and everything in your diet is extra - and it is not really that healthy. Not at all.

You may develop fatty deposits in your blood vessels when there's too much cholesterol in your blood. In time, these deposits will make it very difficult for your blood to flow through your arteries. Increasing the risk of heart attack, your heart may not get as much oxygen-rich blood as it needs because of the narrowed arteries. A stroke is caused by a decreased blood flow.

But there is also some good news. Hypercholesterolemia or high blood cholesterol is generally preventable. Toward reducing high cholesterol a healthy diet, regular exercises and other lifestyle changes can go a long way. In some cases, medication may be needed too.

Causes

Cholesterol is attached to proteins and it is carried through your blood. Lipoprotein is the cholesterol-protein package. The main and known types of lipoproteins are:

Low density lipoprotein - LDL or the "bad" cholesterol transports cholesterol throughout the body. It builds up on your arteries' walls and it makes them narrow and hard.

High-density lipoprotein - HDL or the "good" cholesterol picks up excess cholesterol and takes it back to the liver.

Inactivity, an unhealthy diet and obesity - these are some of the various factors that contribute to those high LDL cholesterol and low HDL cholesterol. Another role may be played by factors beyond your control. For example, your genetic makeup may keep cells from removing LDL cholesterol from your blood efficiently or cause your liver to produce too much cholesterol.

Risk factors

If you are inactive, eat unhealthy foods or you are obese, you are more likely to have high cholesterol. Other factors can lead to heart disease although high cholesterol is one of the main causes. Some of the other risk factors are:

Smoking - Smoking generally damages the walls of your blood vessels and this way the fatty deposits are more likely to accumulate. Also, HDL cholesterol levels are lowered by smoking

High blood pressure - an increased pressure on your artery walls will damage your arteries. This speeds up the accumulation of fatty deposits.

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