Cholesterol Facts

What is Cholesterol?

Cholesterol is a waxy substance produced by the liver and also
supplied in the diet through animal products such as meats, poultry,
fish and dairy products. Your body needs cholesterol to insulate
nerves, make cell membranes and produce certain hormones.
However, your body naturally makes enough cholesterol, and any
dietary cholesterol may be considered to be excess.

HDL “Good” Cholesterol

HDL cholesterol, or high-density lipoprotein, helps carry the “bad
cholesterol” away from the walls of the arteries and returns it to the
bloodstream, thus preventing build up of cholesterol in the artery walls.
That’s why it is called the “good cholesterol”.

LDL “Bad” Cholesterol

LDL cholesterol, or low-density lipoprotein, carries the largest amount
of cholesterol in the blood and is responsible for depositing cholesterol
in the artery walls. An elevated LDL cholesterol level is associated
with risk of heart disease.

A Myth About Cholesterol

One long-standing myth about high blood cholesterol is that it is
caused by eating foods containing cholesterol. This is not so!
Research shows that is it the FAT in food, particularly the saturated fat
and trans fat, and not the cholesterol in food that raises blood
cholesterol in most people.

Cholesterol - Risk Factors

• Family History
  

      If one of your parents or grandparents had a heart attack, you may be
      at higher risk of a heart attack or stroke due to your blood cholesterol
      level.

• Age and Gender
  
• LDL cholesterol tends to increase as you get older.
  
• Diabetes
  
• Uncontrolled diabetes tends to raise LDL and lower HDL cholesterol.
  
• Weight
  
• People with excess body fat, particularly around the waist, often have
  

      higher LDL and lower HDL cholesterol.

• Nutrition/Eating Habits
  
• Foods can affect your HDL and LDL cholesterol.
  
• Physical Activity/Exercise
  
• Physical activity raises HDL cholesterol.