Cholesterol. The good, the bad and the ugly

Today I want to talk about cholesterol and hopefully shed a little bit of light on this sometimes confusing topic.
So what the heck is cholesterol anyway? Well, there are different types of cholesterol and we put them into two groups, "good" and "bad". Now to get a little more technical the "good" cholesterol is called HDL and the "bad" LDL but before we go into this too far lets start at the beginning.
 Cholesterol is only found in animal products. Plants on the other hand do not contain cholesterol because they cannot produce it and do not need it to function. We can get cholesterol from two sources. The first is our body via the liver and the second via diet.
 I bet you would be surprised to know that cholesterol actually has  many important functions in the body:

1. found in every cell in the body
2. building block for estrogen testosterone, and Vitamin D produced via sunlight through your skin
3. major component of of the nerves in our brains
4. 0 calories, as it does not provide us any energy

So, contrary to popular belief cholesterol is not just an artery plugger!
OK, so lets get back to this good and bad cholesterol thing. Here is a simple breakdown of the two:

High-density lipoprotein (HDL)

• Helps remove cholesterol from the body by transporting it to the liver.
• Packets of cholesterol are formed to help move cholesterol through the blood.
• Some experts believe that HDL removes excess cholesterol from arterial plaque, slowing its buildup.
•  HDL can be increased with, exercise, the cessation of smoking and weight reduction.
• High levels of HDL seem to protect against heart attack.
• Low levels of HDL (less than 40 mg/dL) also increase the risk of heart disease.

Low-density lipoprotein (LDL)

• Builds up on the inner walls of the arteries that feed the heart and brain.
• Together with other substances, it can form plaque, a thick, hard deposit that can narrow the arteries and make them less flexible. This condition is known as atherosclerosis.
•  If clots form in the blood they can get caught in the narrowed artery and cause a heart attack.

I hope this information clears up some of the confusion out there on cholesterol. Just remember that not all cholesterol is bad and is needed for many essential bodily functions.

Cheers,

bounce life