What Is The Relationship Between Cholesterol And Heart Disease?
Cholesterol is used to build cell membranes, make the protective sheaths around the nerve fibres and produce certain hormones and Vitamin D. So we need cholesterol. However, if we have too much cholesterol then it basically furrs up the arteries. This furring up is called ‘plaques’. Eventually the plaques may build up to such a degree that they begin to obstruct blood flow. This can then place a person at risk of a heart attack or stroke. Angina is another risk. All of these are symptoms of heart disease. The best way to reduce cholesterol is not to smoke, to cut down on high fat dairy foods and red meats and to take a lot of exercise. Exercise helps because it keeps the heart strong and healthy and reduces overall cholesterol. In addition it helps to raise the amount of ‘positive’ cholesterol in the blood. Positive cholesterol is linked to the high density lipoprotein (HDL) which protects the heart from the bad cholesterol !
