Cholesterol 101

We have all heard about cholesterol but do we really know what cholesterol is? There are bad and good cholesterol but what is the difference between the two and why are they different? Here is some information that may be helpful for us to better understand the conditions that would concern human health. It is very important that we understand what effects these cholesterol have in our body.

Learn About Cholesterol

Cholesterol is an important part of our system. Cholesterol is found in the body specifically in the blood stream and the cells. It does not only help in the proper and efficient functioning of the body but is also important to the cell membranes and the hormones.

Types of Cholesterol

The good cholesterol is the High Density Lipoprotein or the HDL. It is called good cholesterol because of the function it serves in our body. It helps protect a person from strokes and other heart diseases. This has a normal value of 40mg/dl or it can be higher.

The bad cholesterol is the Low Density Lipoprotein or the LDL. This is considered to be bad cholesterol because if the level is above 200mg/dl, it may cause heart diseases and may probably lead to a heart attack because it may cause a clog in the arteries.

What you can do when bad cholesterol exceeds normal levels?

We all have both the bad and good cholesterol but if your bad cholesterol exceeds the normal limit, you might want to consult your doctor to find a medication that would lower it gradually. There are a lot of medications and natural remedies that can be bought for lowering the blood cholesterol but you should see your doctor to have him give you the right prescription and not just a trial and error on your part.

There are ways that we can actually maintain the normal levels of cholesterol in our body. Watching what we eat like those foods with low saturated fat and low cholesterol daily values would help. Exercising is also important in maintaining normal cholesterol level.

It would also help to read nutritional food labels when buying food, law required it and so you should find it in foods sold at groceries. It would help you determine what foods are good for your health. High cholesterol foods like egg yolks, meat, poultry products, butter, shellfish and cheeses may not be good or you. It is very important to know what foods to prepare for a healthy meal, this help to prevent heart conditions that may endanger our lives.

Be conscious enough to monitor your cholesterol levels and what you eat. Just because you are young does not mean you can avoid problems with cholesterol- everyone gets the condition without exception. Moreover, be very watchful with the lifestyle that you live as it may not be healthy. Prevention is always better than cure; do it now while you still can, to save not just your life but your family's lives as well.