What is Cholesterol?

Cholesterol is a waxy substance. It’s not inherently “bad’, contrary to popular belief.
Your body needs it to build cells and make vitamins and other hormones. Furthermore,
it directly participates in digestion. But too much cholesterol can pose a problem.
HDL and LDL
HDL and LDL cholesterols are two main classes of cholesterol, HDL is widely believed to
be a good one, whereas LDL isn’t. LDL increases the risk for various heart diseases, such
as stroke, heart attack and many others including blood coagulation. So, what’s the
actual difference between them? Moreover, is HDL necessarily good or are there other
drawbacks that are not mentioned?
Cholesterol can join with other substances to form a thick, hard deposit on the inside of
the arteries. This can narrow the arteries and make them less flexible – a condition
known as atherosclerosis (I’m going to talk about this soon). As I mentioned above, a
blood clot forms and blocks one of these narrowed arteries, a heart attack or stroke can
result.
HDL
HDL stands for high-density lipoprotein cholesterol. HDL cholesterol is often referred to
as "good" cholesterol. HDL picks up excess cholesterol in your blood and takes it back to
your liver where it's
At risk Desirable broken down and
removed from your body.
It also serves as an
antioxidant and is proven
Men Less than 40 mg/dL 60 mg/dL (1.6
to have a good effect
(1.0 mmol/L) mmol/L) or above
against inflammation.
There will be a chart of
optimal HDL levels
Women Less than 50 mg/dL 60 mg/dL (1.6
(1.3 mmol/L) mmol/L) or above mentioned lower.
However, some people
are born with an
abnormal HDL rate (>100 mg/dL), they’re at the same risk group as people with excess
LDL levels, where unlike them, genetics is the cause. HDL is typically lower in people
who don’t follow a healthy lifestyle and have bad habits. Metabolic syndrome — a
cluster of conditions that include obesity, increased blood pressure and high blood sugar
levels. LDL Cholesterol is prevalent in fats which are mostly stored in processed foods.
Their consumption might lower one’s HDL levels and hence substantially increase LDL.
Smoking lowers HDL levels, especially in women, and increases LDL levels along with
triglycerides. Impressively, moderate consumption of alcohol increases HDL levels and
actually has a good effect on one’s organism.
Atherosclerosis
It is unfortunately a really common condition within the medical circle. A sticky
substance, called plaque, is built up inside one’s arteries, which causes strokes, heart
attacks and other life-threatening diseases. It is directly linked to cholesterol levels,
caused from diet, lifestyle, and genetic predispositions. The rest of the causes are
diabetes, high blood pressure, lack of exercise, sleep apnea is also listed as a potential
cause. Mild atherosclerosis is barely noticeable, thus is really hard to spot on an early
stage.
These are the symptoms, which must be treated immediately, reaching up for help
may save your life
 chest pain or angina.
 pain in your leg, arm, and anywhere else that has a blocked artery.
 cramping in the buttocks while walking.
 shortness of breath.
 fatigue.
 confusion, which occurs if the blockage affects circulation to your brain.