What Is Normal Cholesterol ” The Good, Bad And The Ugly

By Adrian Fletcher

What is cholesterol ? Most people are aware that they should keep their cholesterol low but what is it exactly ? What level is considered low and is it as simple as eat this type of food to get this type of result. This article will discuss good cholesterol, bad cholesterol and the ugly outcomes should you not strive to keep your cholesterol reading within a safe guideline.

Cholesterol is a vital substance in maintaining the normal health of the body. For instance, it is thought to give the cell walls strength thus ensuring their integrity from pathogens and infections. It is also thought to help the skin create vitamin D when it comes into contact with sunlight.

In terms of structure, it is a white color with a waxy consistency. Many people think of it as similar to ear wax. Most of the cholesterol that the body needs is created in the liver. The rest, around 20% is taken from the foods that we eat.

So cholesterol is vital to the body’s overall health but too much is detrimental to it. The current thoughts on an ideal cholesterol level are that anything over 200mg per deciliter of blood is not good for the body.

What Is Bad Cholesterol.

The bloodstream transports energy, vitamins and nutrients to the rest of the body. It does the same thing for cholesterol. However cholesterol is not soluble in blood so it needs to attach to something that can be transported by the blood.

This transport is called a lipoprotein. Cholesterol leaves the liver to be used throughout the body on the lipoproteins known as low density lipoproteins (LDL cholesterol or bad cholesterol). It is thought of as bad because it moves cholesterol out into the body where it can have negative affects if there is too much of it.

What is Good Cholesterol.

Good cholesterol is the opposite of bad cholesterol. It acts as a transport that moves cholesterol back to the liver from the rest of the body. This can thus reduce the disease producing consequences of too much cholesterol in the body. Once the cholesterol in returned to the liver it is excreted out of the body. Good cholesterol is known as a high density lipoprotein.

The Ugly Results of Long Term High Cholesterol

Too much cholesterol means that it can’t be used as intended. With too much bad cholesterol in the bloodstream acting as a transport, cholesterol is transported to the artery walls where it may stick. This is called plaque.

If the build up of plaque continues the person can have a number of health problems. Because the diameter of the arteries is decreased the heart has to work harder to get blood to the body. This can lead to heart disease. As the walls received more plaque the person is said to have a condition known as atherosclerosis.

As plaque continues to build up the person is increasingly open to more life threatening problems. Apart from heart disease, plaque could break of the walls and cause blood clots. Blood clots generally cause strokes.

Find out how to reduce cholesterol naturally by eating low cholesterol food at lowcholesteroldieting.com.

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