High Blood Cholesterol - What You Need To Know

Having an elevated cholesterol level is bad and should be the sign that you have to make some changes in your lifestyle. However having high blood cholesterol for any prolonged period can facilitate the development of a number of harmful and dangerous diseases and conditions. This article will talk about the dangers of having high blood cholesterol.

Most of the cholesterol that the body needs is manufactured in the liver. It is estimated that 80% of the body's needs are catered for by the liver. The other 20% is gained from external sources, like the food we eat.

In most cases we do not need the extra cholesterol that saturated fats bring about in our bodies. Or the real cholesterol from animal products like milk and cheese and this is the root of the problem that many people with high blood cholesterol have. They simply eat too much of the wrong types of foods. As they continue to eat the wrong foods over years, the cholesterol level builds up unless they take substances or other foods stuffs that can actively reduce the cholesterol.

Two Kinds Of Cholesterol

There are two kinds of cholesterol, known as low density lipoprotein (LDL cholesterol) and high density lipoprotein (HDL cholesterol). High HDL cholesterol is seen as good because it is the transport that takes cholesterol to the liver, where it can be excreted. This can lower the cholesterol level.

High LDL cholesterol is seen as bad because it transports cholesterol throughout the body in the blood. Excess LDL cholesterol will stick to the walls of blood vessels causing them the harden and the volume to reduce. This most prevalent in the arteries that send blood from the heart to the rest of the body. If too much LDL cholesterol sticks to the inner walls of the arteries it can lead to high blood pressure and possibly problems with the heart. The LDL cholesterol is known as plaque on the artery walls and it is known to break away from the walls sometimes. This may not cause a problem but it may also result in causing a blockage or a blood clot. This could lead to a stroke.

A high level of low density lipoprotein in the blood stream can be dangerous if unnoticed. High blood cholesterol will be confirmed when you have a blood chemistry test done. Other than the tests, there is actually no conclusive evidence that you have plaque deposits in your arteries.

High HDL cholesterol helps to lower the levels of cholesterol in the blood stream. High blood cholesterol, on the other hand, hastens heart disease and other cardiovascular illnesses. Minimizing the consumption of foods that trigger high blood cholesterol is one way of controlling it. You can also eat foods that limit the amount of cholesterol absorbed into the body or eat foods, like soluble fiber, that take cholesterol with them as they pass through the body.