Cholesterol What Is It? Why Does Your Body Need It?
Cholesterol is a waxy fatty
lipid that is found in the tissues and blood of all human,
mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians and fish, which the body
needs to function correctly.
All
cells need fat, and all animal cells need chol-e-sterol
which is an alcohol sterol needed
to build multiple membranes, which the cells use to both control
water, and soluble elements and to organize their internal structure.
The liver needs it to make bile acid which aids
in digesting dietary fats. The body uses it to produce certain hormones,
including sex hormones. Hormones are chemical substances that influence
many of the body's activities.
The Body Gets the Necessary Cholesterol It Needs
Two Ways
- Our body produces its own.
- Through the food that we eat when we eat anything
that is, or originated from an animal, bird or fish, it has cholesterol
in it. This includes eggs, milk and cheese.
The Transportation Is Done Through Carrier Molecules
That Are Called Lipoproteins
There are three types of lipoproteins that transport
cholesterol through the blood stream to the various cells of the
body.
These lipoproteins also transport triglycerides
which are stored in the body as fat cells or used by the cells for
energy.
Why Does Cholesterol Have Such A Bad Reputation?
Although the body needs cholesterol, excessive
amounts of LDL or VLDL are very dangerous. They tend to stick to
the arterial walls and begin a gradual buildup of plaque that either
narrows the arteries blocking the blood flow, or they rupture and
cause blood clots that inhibit blood flow.
When the blood flow to the heart gets blocked in
the coronary arteries it
causes a heart attack and death.
Heart attacks that are caused by coronary
artery disease are the leading cause of death.
Too little HDL is also dangerous as it is needed
to cleanse the LDL off the arterial walls.
The Primary Causes of High LDL Are
- Diet- eating too much saturated
fat, cholesterol, and Trans fats.
- Weight - excessive weight increases
LDL.
- Sedentary lifestyle- not living
a active lifestyle causes an increase in weight gain, which causes
an increase in LDL, and a reduction in HDL.
- Heredity- genes play a role- it
runs in families.
- Stress- there are many studies
showing that stress increases LDL.
High LDL and low HDL is considered to be one
of the main cardiac risk
factors for heart disease which include:
- Cigarette smoking
- High blood pressure
- Obesity
- Physical inactivity
- Diabetes
You Can Control Your Cardiac Risk Factors! Through
adopting a healthy lifestyle:
You can take control stay healthy; reduce
your cholesterol levls, and your risk of developing heart disease
by adopting a healthy lifestyle. You have nothing to lose and everything
to gain by adopting a healthy active lifestyle. Here is how you
can start.
Why wait till it's too late, begin living a heart
healthy lifestyle now.
Disclaimer: The information that
I am writing on these pages are for educational purposes only,
and are intended to inspire us to learn more about heart disease.
By doing so we can learn how to eliminate the leading cause of
death, and create a better life for us and our children. I am
only a heart patient, in no way should what I am writing, replace
any medical advice given to you by your doctors
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