What is cholesterol? Cholesterol ...

What is cholesterol?

Cholesterol is a substance that is in all of us. Our bodies make cholesterol It is also in meat and dairy breads Plant foods do not have cholesterol greatest in quantity of the cholesterol in your material part is made by your liver from saturated fat in the provisions you eat.

with what intent is a high cholesterol flush unhealthy?

While about cholesterol is needed for convenient health, too much cholesterol in your relations can raise your risk of having a heart attack or stroke

The extra cholesterol in your posterity may be stored in your arteries (blood vessels) and cause them to narrow. This is called atherosclerosis. Large deposits of cholesterol can completely obstruct an artery, so the line cannot flow through.

If an artery that supplies children to your heart becomes stop uped you can have a heart attack. If an artery that supplies line to your brain becomes braceed you can have a stroke

When should I start having my cholesterol horizontal checked?

Men 35 years and older and women 45 years and older should have their cholesterol flushs checked periodically. Depending on what your cholesterol flush is the first time and what other risk factors for heart disease you have (see the receptacle below), you may need to have it checked often

Are there different kinds of cholesterol?

Cholesterol travels by the and of the blood in different packages, called lipoproteins. Low-density lipoproteins (LDL) deliver cholesterol to the corpse High-density lipoproteins (HDL) take cholesterol not at home of the bloodstream.

This explains wherefore too much LDL cholesterol is bad for the visible form [i]or[/i] frame while HDL cholesterol is upright for you. The balance between these kinds of cholesterol describes you what your cholesterol horizontal means (see the box below).

For example, if your cholesterol plain is high because you have a high LDL flat you may have a higher risk of heart disease or affliction If your total level is high simply because of a high HDL plain you probably do not have a higher risk.

What can I do to improve my cholesterol level?

You can do a number of things to improve your cholesterol on a level Eating healthy foods can help lower your LDL cholesterol horizontal You can lower your health risk by the agency of quitting smoking if you vapor losing weight if you are overweight and exercising regularly.

What sort of forages are healthy choices?

Lowering your cholesterol flush by eating healthy, low-fat nourishments is easier than you might think. You do not have to give up your favorite breads Just eat them less ofttimes And try to substitute healthier choices a certain quantity of of the time.

What about medicine to lower cholesterol?

Depending forward your risk factors, if healthy eating and exercise do not acquire your cholesterol levels low enough after about 6 to 12 month your doctor may insinuate medicine to lower your cholesterol level

Several kinds of medicines are used to lower high cholesterol levels:

* Bile acid absorbers, in the same state [i]or[/i] condition as Questran

* Lipoprotein synthesis inhibitors, of that kind as Nicobid

* Coenzyme A reductase inhibitors, as it was as Mevacor

* Fibric acid derivatives, of that kind as Lopid

Your doctor will decide which kind of cholesterol medicine is right for you.

RELATED ARTICLE: Risk Factors for Heart Disease

* Already having had common heart attack

* Being a man 45 years or older

* Having a father or brother who had heart disease before 55 years of age

* Being a woman 55 years or older or being a woman younger than 40 years going by the agency of menopause

* Having a mother or sister who had heart disease before 65 years of age

* Smoking cigarettes

* Having high relations pressure or diabetes

* Being surpassingly overweight

* Being inactive

RELATED ARTICLE:

Total Cholesterol Levels

* Les than 200 is best.

* Between 200 to 239 is borderline high.

* 240 or more means you have a higher risk for heart disease.

* LDL Cholesterol Levels

* Les than 130 is best.

* Between 130 to 159 is borderline high.

* 160 or more means you have a higher risk for heart disease.

HDL Cholesterol Levels

* Les than 40 means you have a higher risk for heart disease.

* 60 or higher means you have les risk of heart disease. Between 200 to 239 is borderline high.

COPYRIGHT 2003 American Academy of Family Physicians

COPYRIGHT 2003 Gale Group