Facts about cholesterol

Controlling cholesterol level is the first and best defense against dangers of heart disease. Though there is no cure for high cholesterol, preventive methods does have an answer to this important health problem.

Cholesterol can be both good and bad. The body produces it naturally and needs the waxy, fat-like substance to function normally. However, excessive cholesterol creates plaque and builds up on the walls of your arteries. Over time, this buildup can slow down blood flow and even block blood flow to the heart.

Fast foods, chips, soft drinks, candy bars, refined sugars, butter cream, fried cheese, fried dough, and cotton candy are foods that we’ve been enjoying since we were kids. But, they are the foods that can contribute to your high cholesterol.They taste delicious in our mouth but they are harmful for our health. Don’t let a little joy hurt you.

By monitoring the cholesterol level and taking action when it rises beyond the optimal level of 200, you can reduce your risk of a stroke, heart attack or heart disease by changing the lifestyle including diet and exercise. It is always better to discuss any change to your physician as they might recommend cholesterol-lowering medications. This is especially important if you have a family history of heart disease.

Desirable: Less than 200 mg/ dL .
Borderline: 200-239 mg/ dL.
High: 240 mg/ dL or higher.

While we are fortunate today to have safe and powerful drugs to lower high blood cholesterol, the key to good health and long life is prevention. By taking measures to prevent the development of various diseases and health problems, we can enhance our chances to enjoy a healthy future.