What is High Cholesterol?

June 16, 2008 – 11:21 pm

What is Cholesterol?
Cholesterol is a lipid which is found in the cell membranes of all animal tissues. It is a soft, fat-like waxy substance in the bloodstream and in our body’s cells. All people have cholesterol. It is very important for our body as it is used for producing cell membranes and hormones.

What is a healthy level of cholesterol?
As I mentioned before, all people have cholesterol. In fact, having cholesterol is not that bad as we think. However it is important to know that there are two types of cholesterol: bad cholesterol (LDL) and good cholesterol (HDL). If one of them is too much in the body, this will lead you to the risk of heart disease and stroke. You can see the healthy level of cholesterol in the following table:

 

Level mg/dl	Level mmol/l	Interpretation
< 200	< 5.2	Desirable level corresponding to lower risk for heart disease
200–240	5.2–6.2	Borderline high risk
> 240	> 6.2	High risk

The Sources of Cholesterol
There are two sources of cholesterol in our body: from the body and from the foods. Our body produces about 75 percent of blood cholesterol and other 25 percent is produced by the foods we eat.

Bad cholesterol (LDL) is produced naturally by the body. However we can also inherit genes from our family. Too much LDL in the body can lead us a cardiovascular disease. You can reduce your risk of heart disease by taking responsibility for managing your cholesterol levels.

How to manage cholesterol levels
All people know that stress is the main factor of all disease, so you should try to get rid of stress. Stress reduction will help you to manage your cholesterol levels. You should change your lifestyle and do physical activities. You need to eat a healthy diet. You should remember that all foods that are of animal origin have the highest amount of cholesterol.
I know that giving up smoking is not easy but you have to realize that cigarette smoking lowers HDL cholesterol levels.

However for some people these changes will not be enough to reach healthy cholesterol levels. In this case if you need to lower your cholesterol level, you should consult a doctor and set up a plan. It is also recommended by the American Heart Association to test your cholesterol every 5 years for people aged 20 years or older.