Cholesterol Facts... and Fiction

Separating cholesterol facts from fiction is crucially important to any obesity control program.

One the "cholesterol facts" you've probably taken as gospel is that cholesterol causes heart disease and that we should limit our intake of foods that contain it.

Actually, its not as simple as that...

Basic Cholesterol Facts

Dietary cholesterol is different than blood cholesterol. Cholesterol comes from two places—first, from food such as meat, eggs, and seafood, and second, from our body.

Our liver makes this waxy substance and links it to carrier proteins called lipoproteins. These lipoproteins dissolve the cholesterol in blood and carry it to all parts of your body.

Our body needs cholesterol to help form cell membranes, some hormones, and Vitamin D.

Good Cholesterol Facts

You may have heard of “good” and “bad” cholesterol. Well, high-density lipoproteins (HDL) carry cholesterol from the blood to the liver. The liver processes the cholesterol for elimination from the body.

If there’s HDL in the blood, then less cholesterol will be deposited in the coronary arteries. That’s why it’s called “good” cholesterol.

Bad Cholesterol Facts

Low-density lipoproteins (LDL), carry cholesterol from the liver to the rest of the body. When there is too much in the body, it is deposited in the coronary arteries. This is not good.

A build-up of cholesterol in our arteries could prevent blood from getting to parts of our heart. That means that our heart won’t get the oxygen and nutrients it needs, which could result in heart attack, stroke, or sudden death.

So, if your LDL is higher than your HDL, you’re at a greater risk for developing heart disease.

Now, if you're like me you eyes probably started to glaze over when you read that last paragraph. One reason I was so glad to leave school was the thought of never having to read another biology abbreviation again, let alone two in one paragraph!

So I'll cut the biology lesson and come right to the point. The most important question on this page and ...

The Most Important of all Cholesterol Facts...

What should you do to make sure you're getting enough of the good cholesterol and avoiding the bad cholesterol? The answer to this question is one of the most important cholesterol facts you should know.

It may come as a surprise, but recent studies have shown that the amount of cholesterol in our food is not strongly linked to our blood cholesterol levels.

Instead, it’s the types of fats you eat that affect your blood cholesterol levels.

So if its kinds of fats, not foods that is key to cholesterol levels...

Don't you love it when the answer to one question leads straight to another question?

How you choose the "good fats" from the bad is another whole subject. Fortunately, we've distilled it down to one page, titled Fat Control.
Please click on the link above, but not before you've signed up for our free ezine. We'll update you on the latest cholesterol facts and other obesity and weight loss related facts...

How to lower cholesterol naturally

We can also recommend an ebook, Lower Cholesterol Naturally. It's a 140-page mine of information. The book will show you how to lower your total cholesterol level and LDL cholesterol level, and raise HDL cholesterol, and control triglycerides naturally without medication.

It also gives a list of heart friendly low cholesterol foods and low fat vegetarian recipes that will help lower your cholesterol. These recipes use ingredients that are high in soluble fiber, beta caroteine, potassium, calcium, etc.

If you're currently on cholesterol lowering medication, DON'T stop taking it, but follow the advice in this book after discussing it with your doctor.

Click here for more information.


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