Nutrition Articles

Many people do not believe in the risks involved in a case of high cholesterol. They only realize the harmful effects of this when they already suffer from a heart attack or stroke. If you do not want to be one of these people, you should be more cautious about your diet and find time to do exercise regularly in order to maintain a healthy cholesterol level and prevent the increase of LDL cholesterol.

LDL cholesterol, or the Low-Density Lipoproteins cholesterol, is one of the two types of cholesterol in the body. This is the major cholesterol carrier in the blood, therefore, too much of this cholesterol circulating in the blood can slowly build up in the walls of the arteries that feed the heart and brain. When LDL combines with other substances, this can form plaque that can clog those arteries. Thus, when this happens, you are now more at risk for coronary artery disease, heart disease, and stroke.

Because of the risk that a high LDL level brings, it is necessary that you maintain a desirable level for it. Your body should have a healthy level of LDL, which is 130mg/dL or less, in the bloodstream. A number more than this, especially above 160mg/dL, will put you in a high-risk category. That is why it is important that you eat a low-cholesterol diet and engage in regular exercise.

In addition, in order to reduce the level of LDL in the body, you should have more HDL, or the High Density Lipoproteins cholesterol, which is the good cholesterol. The HDL prevents the harmful build-up of LDL that can clog your arteries. In order to increase the levels of this good cholesterol, a healthy and low-fat diet as well as regular exercise should be observed.

Maintaining your LDL cholesterol at a desirable level can help reduce your risks for both heart attack and stroke. If your LDL cholesterol level is above the normal level, you should seek your physician?s advice immediately.