How Much Do You Know About Cholesterol?

Information about high cholesterol and the medications that are prescribed for them surround us. It's on the television, heard on the radio and ads fill our magazines. How much do you know about cholesterol, though? High cholesterol is a serious condition that can cause life threatening problems. High cholesterol can cause heart disease, strokes and type 2 diabetes. It can also play havoc with your love life, as it blocks blood flow to the region.

Not all cholesterol is necessarily bad for you. HDL cholesterol (high density lipoprotein) is usually beneficial. It can be found in such foods as oily fish and walnuts. Most people have heard about salmon oil, but halibut and other cold water fish may also prove beneficial.

One interesting fact about a food source of HDL cholesterol may surprise you. Quail eggs contain no LDL (low density lipoprotien). They do contain HDL. Many people I've mentioned this turn their noses up at the idea of any egg other than those from chickens, but the flavor is similar and the texture is the same.

Another myth that needs bursting is that if you avoid all meat, you won't develop high cholesterol. Your body produces cholesterol in the liver. Saturated fats, no matter the source, can increase LDL and decrease HDL cholesterol. Trans fats are just as bad. This is how someone who is vegan can have high LDL cholesterol.

So, the next question is what to do about it? Naturally, your diet is going to be the best way to lower LDL cholesterol and raise HDL. Foods like oatmeal, walnuts and the seafoods I mentioned above are a good start. Avoiding saturated fats of all sorts as well as trans fats is also important. If you want to avoid prescription statins, speak to your doctor.

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