Cholesterol is a waxy substance found within the fat in your blood. While cholesterol is necessary for healthy cells, high cholesterol is one of the primary risk factors for heart disease. There are two main types of cholesterol: LDL, or bad...
One of the most important tests you can undergo is a cholesterol test. It determines your risk for developing heart disease, the leading cause of death in the United States, as of 2011, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention....
Your LDL lipids--or low-density lipoproteins--are better known as your "bad" cholesterol. It is the cholesterol everyone focuses on lowering because it tends to attach itself to the walls of your arteries when there is an excess amount in your...
Heart disease remains the leading cause of death for men and women in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. One of the main risk factors for heart disease is high cholesterol levels. Cholesterol, a type of...
High LDL cholesterol is when your level is above 70 mg/dl. If your HDL cholesterol is below 60 mg/dl, then it is considered too low and puts you at risk for heart disease, according to National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute. Your body needs...
If you suffer from high cholesterol, making dietary changes can be difficult -- especially if you're not accustomed to eating healthy. Although cholesterol itself is not necessarily damaging, in excess, it can lead to life-threatening health...
High cholesterol levels are not due to the amount of fat that you eat, but more the type of fat that you eat, according to the Harvard School of Public Health. The good fats are unsaturated fats--found in sources such as olive oil, salmon and...
Cholesterol is a soft waxy material in the blood that mixes with lipids. It shapes membranes and some hormones but does not dissolve in the blood. Since it does not dissolve, lipoproteins carry it to and from cells. Blood pressure is the force...
Vegetarian diets don't always center around healthy vegetables. Instead, in place of meat products, sometimes processed and high-fat foods are the centerpiece of a vegetarian diet. This type of diet is unhealthy and increases the risk for high...
Having healthy cholesterol levels is imperative for maintaining good healthy, especially the older you get. High cholesterol levels leave you with a higher risk of heart disease and strokes as you age. Certain people are more susceptible to having...
When you visit your doctor, he might mention going for a cholesterol test. You know vaguely what he means, but choose not to question him further -- until your results come back that is. He tells you your LDL is high and your HDL is low. Then he...
High cholesterol, a condition also referred to as hyperlipidemia, occurs when the cholesterol level increases to over 240mg/dL. Having high cholesterol increases your risk for developing heart disease that can lead to heart attack and stroke....
High cholesterol can contribute to the risk of heart disease, but it is preventable and controllable by using prescribed medication and/or making some important lifestyle changes. It is never too late to make the changes that can reduce your risk...
The human body contains cholesterol made naturally by the liver. In addition to naturally occurring cholesterol, many foods contain cholesterol. When the body accumulates too much, a condition called hypercholesterolemia (high blood cholesterol)...
Omega-3 fatty acids provide essential nutrients for your body's health. You can only get omega-3s through food. Omega-3 fatty acids may prevent heart disease, mainly because they help boost healthy HDL cholesterol levels. HDL gets rid of harmful...
Lipids, commonly referred to as fats, are a large family of organic, water-insoluble molecules present in many foods and naturally occurring in the body, according to Paul Insel, et al., in "Nutrition." Although consuming lipids is a dietary...
Your body needs cholesterol to produce certain hormones, protect nerves and manufacture cell tissues. Your liver produces all the cholesterol the body needs, meaning that there is no medical reason to consume cholesterol. Certain factors increase...
Cholesterol is a waxy essence produced by your liver. You can also find cholesterol in food from animals such as meat and dairy products. Every human body needs a certain amount of cholesterol to function. However, high levels of cholesterol can...
Losing weight can seem like a daunting task for many people. For some, the amount of weight that they need to lose to attain their goal seems impossible. There is good news for these people, however. Losing only ten pounds can be highly...
Everyone has some cholesterol in their blood, as the substance is necessary for good health. A normal cholesterol level is below 200 mg/dL when your blood is drawn after a fast, according to the American Heart Association, while more than 240...
Soluble fiber is a type of dietary fiber that reacts with water in your body. The soluble fiber becomes a gel once its mixes with water in your digestive tract. This fiber is good for constipation prevention, just like insoluble fiber, but it has...
When you think of a healthy person, high cholesterol probably doesn't come to mind. In fact, high cholesterol is a leading risk factor in the development of chronic diseases like atherosclerosis and cancer. By controlling your cholesterol levels...
High cholesterol often occurs as a result of consuming a diet high in fat. As well, some people may also have high cholesterol that stems from hereditary factors. However, no matter the cause for high levels of cholesterol, this condition can...
Your body makes 1,000 mg of cholesterol every day, enough to keep your body healthy and functioning, but cholesterol rich foods and lifestyle factors can increase your cholesterol levels to unhealthy levels. Despite, the tendency for people to...
More than 16 percent of American adults have high cholesterol, doubling their risk of getting heart disease, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Many factors contribute to elevated cholesterol levels, including your...
High blood cholesterol levels, or hypercholesterolemia can be caused by many factors; some of which you can control and some which you can not. When your total cholesterol or LDL cholesterol levels get too high, your risk for heart disease rises...
About one out of every six American adults has high blood cholesterol. However, cholesterol is needed in the body to perform correctly. It is mostly produced by the liver but also comes from the food you eat. Poor eating habits and a lack of...
Your liver produces a small amount of cholesterol, which is vital for building strong cells. However, your body only needs a little bit of this soft, waxy substance to keep your cells healthy, according to the "Gale Encyclopedia of Diets: A Guide...
The grapefruit is a bitter-flavored, subtropical citrus fruit. The color of the pink grapefruit comes from carotenoids, a naturally occurring pigment that protects cells. Grapefruit is low in saturated fat, cholesterol and sodium. It's a good...
Coronary artery disease, or coronary heart disease, is the end result of the heart muscle losing nutrients due to blockage in blood vessels of the heart. Learn more about coronary heart disease, including warning signs and treatments in this video.
