Guide to Lowering Cholesterol

People with high cholesterol have a high risk of developing many health conditions, including heart disease and stroke. For better awareness on the importance of lowering cholesterol, it is useful to understand how cholesterol works in your body and how a high amount of it can be dangerous.

Cholesterol is a chemical substance that naturally occurs inside our bodies. It is essential in our lives, as it is an integral component in the production of bile acids and steroids, as well as a building block for cell membranes and hormones. 80% of the cholesterol in our bodies comes from our liver, while we get the rest from our diet. Meat, dairy products, fish, poultry and organ meats are some of the sources of our dietary cholesterol.

There are many types of cholesterol, and this includes LDL and HDL. LDL is also called "bad" cholesterol as a high amount of it can build up cholesterol in our arteries that form a hard and thick deposit called plaque. This plaque narrows the passageway for blood to flow and also causes our arteries to harden, resulting in a condition called atherosclerosis. Because of the narrowed passageway, blood is slower to move, which increases the formation of blood clots. When a blood clot gets stuck in the narrowed passageway, blood cannot travel to the vital organs, which results in heart disease, stroke or even a heart attack.

HDL, on the other hand, is the good cholesterol, and it helps you get rid of LDL. Having a high amount of HDL is good for your health. Hypercholesterolemia, or high cholesterol in the blood, is basically having a high amount of LDL, or a low amount of HDL.

There are many causes of hypercholesterolemia. When you eat a lot of saturated fats or foods that are high in cholesterol, this will increase the LDL in your blood. Enjoying a sedentary lifestyle with very minimal physical activity also increases your LDL and lowers your HDL. Another thing is being overweight-people who are overweight or obese tend to have higher LDL levels and lower HDL. Smoking and alcohol also affects your total cholesterol level.

It is easy to find out if you have high cholesterol. All you need to do is go to your doctor and have a blood test done - specifically, a fasting lipid profile, which determines your total cholesterol level, HDL and LDL levels, as well as your triglycerides. If you get abnormal results, your doctor will talk to you about your options, from things you can do to medications you can take.

If you do have high cholesterol, it is extremely important to start getting it in shape. Lifestyle changes are very important. You can get started on lowering your cholesterol level by exercising, eating plenty of vegetables, fruits, oats and whole grains, maintaining a healthy body weight, giving up food high in saturated fat, and also quitting smoking and drinking alcohol.

Actually, it is better to start controlling your cholesterol level while it is still normal, instead of waiting for it to shoot up. You should start now with avoiding fatty foods and eating well. Stop smoking and minimize your alcohol intake. Start getting some physical activity. A few minutes of walking a day can go a long way to maintaining your health and lowering your cholesterol.

Rachel Burnett is the editor of LowerCholesterolbyDiet.com, a free resource on lowering cholesterol naturally, effectively and safely. Find out more about lowercholesterolbydiet.com/lower-cholesterol lowering cholesterol by visiting lowercholesterolbydiet.com LowerCholesterolbyDiet.com