Everyone knows that cholesterol is bad. It can block the arteries and lead to heart attacks. But, what many people don’t know is that there are two different kinds of cholesterol. LDL and HDL cholesterol are two very different things and one is actually good for the body.

LDL cholesterol is different than HDL cholesterol. The LDL type is the kind that forms plaque in the arteries. Over time, this plaque can build up badly and lead to a clogging of the arteries. This can, of course, lead to heart attacks and even strokes. It’s highly recommended that people have their cholesterol levels checked on a regular basis to ensure low levels of the bad type of cholesterol.

On the other hand, HDL cholesterol is considered the “good” kind. It is believed by many to actually help the body get rid of the bad cholesterol by bringing it back to the liver where the body can ensure it’s removed. Considering its “good status,” hdl cholesterol is desired in the body in certain levels.

Making sure the body has enough HDL cholesterol is something most people don’t even realize they need to do. In reality, the hdl levels should be 40 mg/dL or more to decrease the chances of heart disease. Any less and the risk tends to go up.

There are ways for those who have too little HDL cholesterol to increase the levels in their blood and help take advantage of its heart attack foiling properties. Let’s take a look at some of the best ways for boosting the levels of good cholesterol in the blood stream.

Exercise: Aerobic exercise especially can boost HDL cholesterol levels. Pretty much anything from running and cycling to aerobics and beyond can help raise the level of good cholesterol in the blood.

Weight loss: While this is a good idea for anyone that has a few extra pounds, it can really help increase HDL cholesterol levels in the blood. This can also decrease the levels of bad cholesterol in the process.

Reduce trans fat intake: Anything that says it has hydrogenated vegetable oils can be removed to help increase hdl cholesterol levels and decrease the bad type of cholesterol in the process. Removing these fats from the diet or at least cutting them back can help with weight loss, too.

Alcohol: Some research supports that a drink or two a day can help increase HDL cholesterol levels. This one should be exercised with caution and it’s important to remember that overdoing won’t improve health.

Quit smoking: Anyone who smokes can increase their HDL cholesterol levels simply by quitting.

Diet change: When fiber is added along with monounsaturated fats, the results toward hdl cholesterol level increases can be great. Whole grains, olive oil and so on can actually increase levels and lead to a better overall diet.

We all know that cholesterol is bad for the body. What many people don’t know is that there are two types. The good type, HDL cholesterol, should be a priority to actually have high levels of.

Riley Hendersen
http://www.articlesbase.com/non-fiction-articles/hdl-cholesterol-is-actually-good-for-you-140330.html

My mother in law needs to lower her cholesterol, she’s 59, and afraid to take the prescription drugs because of side effects.

Are there any specific foods she could or should eat?

She’s already stopped eating cheese and fatty meats, but is there any other foods really high in cholesterol that isn’t widely known that she she also avoid?

Some one mentioned flaxseed oil, does that really work?

Flax seed is supposed to work but I haven’t ever heard of a doctor recommending it. Cut back on eggs or just eat the whites. As cheesy as it sounds, have her eat Cheerios once a day to lower her cholesterol because this does work.

Most of it is not over the counter remedies, but rather diet changes. Less fat, sugar, and sodium

If your doctor has been lecturing you on lowering your cholesterol, you may wonder why your cholesterol level is so important. A high cholesterol level is bad because it can result in heart disease, heart attack or stroke when cholesterol is allowed to build up in your arteries. High cholesterol should be taken very seriously and steps taken to reduce your level.

First, cholesterol is a naturally occurring substance produced by the body. In fact, the body produces all the cholesterol that it needs for normal function. It is when this cholesterol is increased by what you take in through the foods that you eat that levels can become too high. This is especially true when you eat a lot of high fat foods. When the cholesterol levels in your blood rise above the normal levels some of this cholesterol is left behind in your vessels and arteries and can eventually result in a hardened plaque lining inside the vessels.

High cholesterol levels bring on a heart attack in a four step process. First, the lining of the arteries are weakened by the cholesterol. When LDL cholesterol moves out of the bloodstream into the artery walls, it causes them to either constrict or relax. These changes in the artery walls cause the walls to weaken, allowing the cholesterol to penetrate deeper. The changes also cause disruption in blood pressure and blood flow.

Next, the changes in the artery lining cause the body to respond to the changes. The body reacts as it would to an inflammation, sending immune cells called macrophages to the site of the damage. The macrophages try to clear away the LDL cholesterol but only succeed in creating “foamy” cells that make the clogging worse. As more LDL cholesterol is deposited, more macrophages come to the area, and the clogging becomes a deadly cycle.

In a final attempt to clear up what it sees as inflammation, the artery walls create a fibrous material which eventually forms a cap over the damaged area. This is how the plaque forms that doctors say is responsible for clogging your arteries. If this clogging occurs in an artery that feeds the heart muscle, the muscle is denied oxygen and nutrients and the heart muscle is weakened. As more LDL cholesterol and macrophages collect in the area, the plaque cap on the artery thins.

The final step in a heart attack occurs when this ever thinning plaque cap ruptures allowing blood to seep into the artery wall. This causes the body to react by releasing platelets, or clotting factor, to the area. This causes a clot to form in the artery. If this clot forms in a coronary artery, the result is a heart attack.

Research shows that the higher your cholesterol level, the greater your risk for having heart disease. Any cholesterol level higher than 240mg/dL puts you at risk for heart disease. A high cholesterol level combined with cigarette smoking, high blood pressure, and a family history of heart disease can increase your risk even more.

Reducing your high cholesterol level can have dramatic health effects. As well as decreasing your risk for stroke and heart attack, lowering a high cholesterol level can make you a healthier individual altogether.

Riley Hendersen
http://www.articlesbase.com/non-fiction-articles/why-is-high-cholesterol-so-bad-118774.html