At my last annual physical exam my doctor found that I had a very high level of cholesterol. I didn’t know a lot about cholesterol, but, once he explained how dangerous this condition was, I decided that I had better learn all I could. And that I did, getting my own problem under control in the process. If you’ll bear with me, I’ll try to show you why controlling cholesterol is so important to your overall well being. Perhaps you will also understand why limiting, or eliminating, high cholesterol foods is vital.

Cholesterol is so vital to your body that, without it, you could not exist. You cells use it like mortar to bind them together to make tissue. It’s also made into a bile acid and used for digestion.

Most, or, more often, all of the cholesterol you require is made in your liver. An enzyme known as low density lipoproteins, or LDL, delivers the cholesterol to your cells. When the LDL encounters a cell that already has enough cholesterol, it sends a “No, Thanks” signal and the LDL moves on.

The problem is, LDL won’t carry left over cholesterol back to your liver. The LDL will leave the extra cholesterol on the inner wall of an artery. The blood flow in the artery will eventually be choked off, starving the tissue further down the line. Most heart attacks and strokes are the result of a loss of blood to the heart and brain.

I realize that this is just a quick overview of cholesterol problems. I wanted only to get you to thinking a bit about cholesterol levels, and maybe look into your own.

IMPORTANT NOTE: This posting is based on information commonly available in the national press and medical journals that deal with high cholesterol levels. Nothing herein is to be or looked on as any type of medical advice. For medical advice the reader must consult with his or her physician or other medical specialist.

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