Those who have high cholesterol and those who are fighting against high cholesterol would like to know what exactly cholesterol is. In this article, I am going to find an answer to this question and explain it in simple words so that every person who wants to know it will be able to understand it directly from this article without the help of others. Cholesterol is produced in liver and cells in our body and it is a fat like substance known as lipid profile. Cholesterol is largely found in many common substances which we eat every day. Examples are meats, eggs, fried food items, nuts etc. Cholesterol cannot be considered as completely bad for human being as some cholesterol is needed for human body for carrying out its routine functions.
How cholesterol affects blood flow through blood vessels?
Our body’s’ cell walls needs cholesterol for producing hormones, vitamin D and some acids needed for the digestion of the food we eat. When the intake of cholesterol through the food a person eats increases above the minimum requirement for our body, health concerns begin to develop. As the cholesterol level in the blood increases the narrow arteries thorough which blood flows start developing plaques narrowing the passage. This makes the arteries to harden and cause hindrance to the smooth flow of blood through it. When this obstruction to the flow of blood develops, it results in decreased supply of oxygen and blood to different organs causing serious problems like heart attacks.
Types of cholesterol
Cholesterol can be broadly classified into three groups. They are high density, low density and very low density cholesterols. Each specific type is characterized by the quantity of protein present in it in relation to the fat content in it. Low density cholesterol is considered bad as it can build up plaque along the walls of the arteries. As LDL cholesterol increases your risk of heart disease also increases. But on the other hand the HDL cholesterol which is known as good cholesterol or high density cholesterol reduces the risk of heart attack in the person concerned.
How to control cholesterol level?
There are a wide variety of factors responsible for the increase in cholesterol levels. Food we eat is the main factor responsible for increase in cholesterol level. Saturated fats in the food we eat are the key factor for the increase in cholesterol level. Obesity and lack of proper exercise is another important factor that contributes to the increase in the cholesterol level. Before the onset of menopause, women are found to have low cholesterol level compared to men. But after menopause, LDL cholesterol level in women increases considerably.
