Symptoms and Dangers of High Cholesterol
Many people can have high cholesterol, there are several factors that contribute to its existence. Some factors are hereditary, while some are purely and solely based on lifestyle. Hence, doctors often suggest food items that are healthy and for people who have a family history of cholesterol to take extra care right from the very beginning. A controlled high nutrition diet goes a long way in leading a healthy, stress-free and high cholesterol free life. Let us first understand what is high cholesterol. What is high cholesterol? Cholesterol is the fatty substance that is produced in the liver; it is an important element that helps in the formation of cell membranes, certain hormones and Vitamin D. It doesn’t dissolve in water and hence it cannot freely travel through the body. There are particles that are known as lipoproteins that help to transport cholesterol through the bloodstream. The two major forms of lipoproteins are low-density lipoproteins (LDL) and high-density lipoproteins (HDL). LDL is the bad cholesterol and HDL is the good cholesterol. If the bad cholesterol builds up in the arteries, then it can lead to various health problems such as stroke or heart attack. The good cholesterol helps return the LDL cholesterol to the liver for elimination.