Understanding Cholesterol
Summary
Changing lifestyles of people have led them to be a target of many health problems ranging from heart attacks to strokes. Increasing cholesterol levels is a cause of concern for many individuals. Cholesterol is a fatty substance found amongst the lipids in the blood stream throughout the body and it plays an important part in manufacturing hormones and in forming cell membranes. Lipoproteins carry cholesterol in and out of blood cells since cholesterol is insolvable in blood. Low density lipoproteins are not good since excess of them tend to build up on the arterial walls forming plaque. As a result, arteries get hardened causing arteriosclerosis leading to a heart attack or a stroke. High density lipoproteins are good because they aid in removing the cholesterol by carrying it away from the arteries and moving it to the liver. Managing cholesterol levels is important to maintain a healthy lifestyle.
Keywords: health, heart attacks, stroke, obesity, cholesterol, lipids, hormones, cell membranes, blood cells, Low density lipoproteins, LDL, High density lipoproteins, HDL, arteriosclerosis
