Why is Cholesterol our Friend and Foe?

Today, cholesterol can be a health issue among any household. It has become such a widespread importance, as its ignorance would lead to risk of life. At normal levels, body cholesterol is both a friend and foe to our body. It is essential to know the cholesterol health benefits and risks related to our lifestyle.

Cholesterol, is actually, a steroid lipid (fat). It is an essential component in the body for proper functioning of cells. The way it interacts within the body is amazing. It is insoluble in water and so cannot be eliminated through natural means of detoxification. It readily floats in the blood stream and attaches to proteins in the body, resulting in lipoproteins. There are two types of cholesterol such as LDL or Low Density Lipoproteins and HDL or High Density Lipoproteins. The reason for the LDL to be a threat is that when it gets accumulated in the body, it sticks to the arteries, causing plague/blockage in the blood flow to heart. High levels of cholesterol can be the cause for heart attacks, strokes and other coronary diseases.

High cholesterol in blood stream can be caused by the various reasons, particularly of a person’s diet, weight and exercise routines. When there is lot of cholesterol intake, it leads high levels of cholesterol in body’s blood stream. However, limiting the intake of fat can help in managing cholesterol levels to some extent. Food rich in cholesterol, Saturated fat and trans-fat has to be avoided for healthier cholesterol level.

Similarly, obesity can lead to high blood LDL, so exercise can be a remedy to reduce this risk factor. The first line to reduce the risks of high cholesterol levels is change in lifestyle. However, sometimes, even healthy lifestyle changes can turn unsuccessful as cholesterol levels may not get reduced. And so, it is quite advisable to use lipid-lowering drugs, on prescribed basis.

Since cholesterol levels play a vital role in an individual’s heart problems risk, it is essential to be aware of its symptoms. Even though the risk factors for high levels of cholesterol are many, lower levels can hinder the body functioning to a greater level. This is why knowing cholesterol health benefits and risks is a vital aspect of health, whose existence brings a major difference, on respect to its levels.