High Cholesterol Doesn't Have To Be A Permanent Condition
Sue Burchill
As many as 50% of Americans are reported to have elevated, or at least borderline, levels of cholesterol. Your risk of having a stroke or heart attack is greatly increased when your cholesterol level is high.
The liver naturally produces cholesterol. It helps in forming cell membranes. It creates certain kinds of hormones and even aides our bodies in digesting fats. It is present in all of the body's cells, the bloodstream, skin, brain, nerves and muscles.
Many of the foods we eat add even more cholesterol to the amount naturally produced by the liver. Our weight, stress, age and heredity are other things that also contribute to elevated cholesterol in the body.
Our bodies naturally contain two types of cholesterol, HDL is called the good cholesterol, while LDL is bad cholesterol. Cholesterol is taken back to the liver to be broken down by HDL, while LDL carries it away from the liver and into the bloodstream.
When we have excessive cholesterol in our bloodstreams, it begins to build up and harden on the artery wall which restricts the flow of blood to the heart and brain and puts us at greater risk of for heart attack and strokes.
If your cholesterol level is too high there are some things you can try to help lower it and reduce the risks associated with it. For many people following a diet low in cholesterol, getting exercise and reducing weight will be all that is required to lower the levels.
Reducing saturated fats in your daily diet and eating foods that lower cholesterol, such as fish, oats, whole grains and yogurt can assist you in bringing your levels under control.
The simple lifestyle changes that you can make won't have much effect on your cholesterol if it is an inherited condition or your body has just begun to produce too much for some reason. In these cases the only alternative may be for your doctor to prescribe one or several medications.
There are other factors that increase the risks of heart attacks and strokes, but elevated cholesterol is one thing that you can actually have some control over. If you've been diagnosed with high or borderline cholesterol start making those basic changes that might extend your life by years!
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