Cholesterol is needed by your body to build new cells. The waxy substance is also used for other functions, such as producing bile and hormones. However, sometimes the body produces too much. You could also be increasing the amount of cholesterol in your system by the foods you eat. The more fatty foods that you eat, the more likely it is that you will have higher cholesterol levels.

Stress on your body

Having too much cholesterol in your body can also be the result of other health conditions. Therefore, if your blood tests reveal that your cholesterol levels are abnormal, a complete workup may be considered to make sure that there are not other underlying problems. Type 2 diabetes, hypothyroidism, kidney disease, and liver disease can all affect your cholesterol levels. Some medications can increase your cholesterol as well. Plus, other stress on your body, such as a high-stress job, can increase your cholesterol levels.

Excessive cholesterol can cause stress on your body for other reasons as well. When you have too much cholesterol in your blood, the excess tends to get deposited along your arteries. With time, these deposits harden into plaque. The plaque then causes your arteries to narrow, forcing your heart to have to work harder to get the blood through to where it needs to go. Left untreated, high cholesterol can continue to line the arteries until it gets to the point that it completely blocks them off, causing a heart attack or stroke.

Blockages caused by cholesterol

Sometimes, the narrowing of the arteries gets to the point where the arteries themselves will start to tear under the stress. The body then produces a clot in an attempt to stop the bleeding. However, if this clot breaks off, it starts floating around in the bloodstream. If it gets to an artery that is already narrowed because of cholesterol, the clot could become lodged in the opening. This prevents all blood from getting through. Depending on where the clot occurs, this could lead to a heart attack or stroke.

Keep in mind that there are two types of cholesterol – HDL and LDL. LDL is the one that tends to line your arteries, and so is the one that most people are concerned about lowering. However, HDL cholesterol plays an important role in removing cholesterol from the heart and taking it to the liver where it can be broken down. Having too low of an HDL cholesterol level can also increase your risk of heart problems.

Every 33 seconds someone dies from a heart attack or stroke caused by high cholesterol. In order to prevent yourself from becoming one of these statistics, you need to get your cholesterol level checked regularly. If yours is higher than optimal levels, ask your doctor what you can do to bring it back down.

On its own, neither form of cholesterol is bad. While abnormal cholesterol levels can contribute to heart disease and other health risks, in normal levels it is needed by the body. The body produces cholesterol naturally, and needs it for certain reactions throughout the body. Cholesterol helps build cell membranes and increase membrane fluidity so that nutrients can pass through. It also helps your body to metabolize certain vitamins like A, D, E, and K. There are also some scientists that believe that cholesterol helps produce bile, the chemical that allows you to digest fat. So while you do not want your cholesterol levels to get too high, at the same time you need to have some cholesterol.

You have probably heard about "good" and "bad" cholesterol, but do you know which one is which? When your doctor starts talking about HDL cholesterol, that is the "good" type of cholesterol. HDL is short for high-density lipoprotein. The "bad" cholesterol is LDL, or low-density lipoproteins. However, terming either "good" or "bad" is misleading. The only difference between the two types of cholesterol is the carrier. HDL cholesterol is carried by high-density lipoprotein, which is supposedly better for you because it can remove the cholesterol from the heart and carry it down to the liver where it can be eliminated. Low-density lipoproteins are the carriers that deposit cholesterol along the walls of the arteries and blood vessels, contributing to heart disease and your risk for heart attack and stroke.

For the average person, their doctor will want their HDL cholesterol levels at 40 mg/DL or higher. If your number is lower than 40, then you are at an increased risk for developing coronary problems. For your LDL cholesterol levels, your number should be less than 100 to lower your risk of coronary problems. However, your ideal numbers may be slightly lower or higher depending on what other risks you have for heart disease and other health problems.

So in summary, there really is no such thing as "good" or "bad" cholesterol – simply good and bad methods of carrying it. HDL cholesterol is only considered good because it removes cholesterol from your heart where it could cause a problem. LDL is only considered bad because of its tendency to block your arteries and contribute to heart disease.

Your doctor will be able to better explain your own personal levels of cholesterol. If your levels are not within the optimum, healthy ranges, your doctor will also be able to give you a plan of action for getting them back within normal ranges. For many people, this will involve a combination of diet and exercise changes, as well as the possible assistance of medications.

Smoking carries with it many health risks including that of increasing your LDL cholesterol (bad cholesterol) level. Smoking not only increases the LDL, when to be healthy we need to decrease it, smoking also decreases the HDL cholesterol (good cholesterol) in your blood, when to be healthy we want this level to be high. When an individual smokes, they raise the level of carbon monoxide in the blood, which then can cause injury to the lining of the arterial wall. This damage can cause a narrowing of the arterial wall when LDL cholesterol builds up in the artery due to high LDL cholesterol. Smoking makes this build-up more likely to happen which increases your risk for both heart disease and stroke.

Alcohol consumption also puts an individual at an increased risk for many health related conditions and diseases including increasing your risk for high cholesterol. Drinking alcohol increases your liver's ability to detoxify the blood, which can cause harm to your blood vessels. Your liver has to do double-duty as it cleanses your liver of the alcohol and tries to rid the liver of too much LDL cholesterol. It has difficulty doing this double-duty and too much LDL cholesterol can as a result be left in the bloodstream to collect in the arteries leading to our heart and brain which in turn increases the plaque in these arteries which leads to blood clots disengaging from these clogged arteries which when they break out and occur in the heart cause heart blockage and damaged cardiac cells leading to a heart attack and possible death. The same damage can occur in the arteries leading to the brain can cause stroke.

When individuals remain inactive for long periods of time, they do not experience the exercise that can raise the heart rate for 20 to 30 minutes a day resulting in an increase in the HDL cholesterol level (the good cholesterol). We want the HDL cholesterol to be high as the HDL is what helps to remove plaque from our arteries and help to decrease the level of LDL cholesterol (the bad cholesterol) in our blood. Regular exercise can also aid in weight loss and if you are obese (another risk factor for high LDL cholesterol) it increases your heart disease and stroke risk factors.

It is easy to increase your activity level simply by taking the dog for a walk, or doing simple household chores for at least a continual 20 to 30 minutes each day.

Excessive amounts of emotional or mental stress can lead to major health problems including unhealthy cholesterol levels. The ways to manage stress can also reduce your other risk factors for high cholesterol such as being overweight, or having a sedentary lifestyle because one of the most common ways to reduce stress is to exercise. Exercising gets your body moving and your mind off of problems and focused on the things you encounter as you exercise especially if you exercise outdoor in nature. Biking, jogging, swimming and walking are all good exercise choices as well as any aerobic exercise program that will raise your heart rate for at least 20 to 30 minutes each day.

Your Family

One of the first things you need to look at is your family's health. High cholesterol is often genetic, so if your parents, grandparents, brothers, sisters, or other family members have a problem with high cholesterol, you could be at risk as well. This alone could be enough of a reason to have annual cholesterol levels drawn.

Your Food

Once you have looked at genetics, another major contributor to high cholesterol is the food that you eat. Unfortunately, many of our favorite foods are high in saturated fat and cholesterol, which will not help your personal cholesterol levels any. Saturated fat is the main culprit, though cholesterol plays a role as well. Animal products like meat and dairy are often the main sources, though some oils can also be high in saturated fats. Another problem with foods can be the amount of trans fats that are included. These are foods that are produced using vegetable oils. You will often find trans fats in snack foods and baked goods. Like saturated fats, trans fats can raise your cholesterol levels.

On the flip side, some foods can also help you with your cholesterol levels, and not all fats are bad. Monounsaturated fats are found in canola, olive, and peanut oils. These oils can actually help your body fight LDL cholesterol, which in turn reduces your risk for heart disease. Polyunsaturated fats are also in some oils, like sunflower and corn oil, and may be found in seafood. These also help to lower your LDL cholesterol, and some, like the oils found in fish, are thought to help raise your "good" cholesterol levels.

Other factors

Family and diet are not the only contributors to high cholesterol, though they are often the main factors. Other factors that affect your cholesterol levels include:

* Weight – the more overweight you are, the more likely you are to have high LDL cholesterol as well (though not every overweight person has high cholesterol, nor is every person with high cholesterol overweight). For some patients, losing weight helps them to lower bad cholesterol and triglycerides and raise good cholesterol levels.

* Exercise – Exercise has been shown to raise HDL cholesterol levels and lower LDL cholesterol levels. It also can help strengthen your heart to reduce your risk of heart attacks, and help you to lose weight.

* Age/Gender – Younger women are less likely than younger men to have cholesterol problems, though post-menopausal women are more likely to have cholesterol problems. Men and women over the age of 50 are both at an increased risk of complications due to high cholesterol.

* Alcohol – Alcohol is a mixed blessing when it comes to cholesterol. One drink a day can boost HDL cholesterol and keep arteries from getting stiff with age. However, alcohol does nothing to fight the bad LDL cholesterol, and drinking too much alcohol can raise triglyceride levels and damage the heart and liver.

* Stress – Long-term stress can cause numerous health problems, including high cholesterol. It is not proven how influential stress is to cholesterol levels, as many people who are stressed also have a tendency to have other unhealthy habits such as avoiding exercise and overindulging in fatty foods.

Oatmeal:

Oatmeal made from ground oats is a rich source of water-soluble dietary fibers, in particular: beta glucan. Oatmeal was one of the first foods to carry the U.S. Food and Drug Administration label for its heart healthy distinction based on promising research findings.

In studies conducted on adults oatmeal has been found to lower the LDL cholesterol by as much as 10% when individuals have consumed at least 40 to 60 grams of oatmeal a day – that is about one bowl of oatmeal. The more oatmeal you eat, the lower you can make your LDL cholesterol go. You do need to watch the additives placed in oatmeal that might not be so heart healthy including butter, chocolate, whole milk, and cheese. You need to check the ingredients on the label of instant oatmeal to be sure it doesn't contain ingredients that are unhealthy for your heart. Be sure to check the fat content of any packaged product.

Soy:

Soy products have a reputation for not only being a good way to improve your overall health, but as a dietary tool in lowering your cholesterol levels. Soy products such as tofu, soy beverages, soybean burgers, and soy nuts are among those soy products that are recognized as being of benefit to those wishing to lower their LDL cholesterol levels.

Soy products contain isoflavones, which are estrogen-like elements found in certain plants. Soy is an excellent protein source when cutting out animal foods from your diet as many individuals are advised to do when trying to lower their blood cholesterol LDL level.

Studies of soy in diets of at least 25 grams and an optimum amount of 50 grams a day have shown to lower low-density lipoproteins (LDL) cholesterol but not the high-density lipoproteins (HDL) cholesterol or the triglyceride level.

The studies also show that the effect on lowering LDL cholesterol has only been averaging 3% of those studied.

Cinnamon:

Most of the talk about the health benefits of cinnamon has been about its possible benefits regarding lowering blood sugar in those with diabetes. Scientists are studying the effects of cinnamon on LDL cholesterol blood levels and have so far not had a chance to reach any conclusions as of yet. The studies are promising though that they may be a benefit regarding cinnamon and our quest to lower our blood cholesterol (LDL) because some of the studies have shown that cinnamon has a dual affect; not only does it appear to lower blood glucose levels but so far they show that they can lower lipid levels as well.

More studies are needed before any conclusive evidence can be presented. Part of the delay is that some of the studies have been conducted using a powdered form of cinnamon and others with an extract of cinnamon; others have used cassia cinnamon in experiments.

Cholesterol is found in our body cells and when it is being transported in the bloodstream. Cholesterol, as a fat, actually separates itself from the blood, but is protected by proteins that form a shell around the cholesterol called, "cholesterol complex".

That protein linked to the cholesterol is called a lipoprotein. The way to tell a good cholesterol (HDL) from a bad one (LDL) is what is inside, in other words, what type of lipoprotein it is.

When there is too much LDL cholesterol in the bloodstream it can collect in the cells of our arteries and form plaque. When plaque becomes dislodged it can break off as a clot and when it is in an artery leading to the brain, that clot can cause a stroke. When a clot is in the artery leading to the heart it can lead to a heart attack.

To help you remember which cholesterol is good and thus desirable to have high levels of it, remember that the word high begins with an H and the HDL cholesterol begins with an H too. To help remember which cholesterol is healthier for us to have lower levels of remember that LDL begins with L and lower begins with L; therefore LDL is the cholesterol we want to be lower, so it must be the "bad cholesterol".

If your cholesterol tests come back that your HDL is low and we know that it is desirable to have the HDL cholesterol to be high than you need to elevate your HDL. There are a few ways that are known to elevate your HDL. These ways to increase HDL cholesterol include: losing weight, stop smoking tobacco products, begin and maintain moderate daily exercise, and practice moderate alcohol consumption or avoid drinking alcohol.

Your doctor may also prescribe medications that are known to raise your HDL cholesterol levels such as statins, fibrates, and nicotinic acid. Estrogen is also known to elevate HDL cholesterol.

Many individuals that are overweight or obese have high triglycerides and low HDL cholesterol. It is often found that when you lose weight, it is often enough to raise your HDL cholesterol levels.

Studies have shown that not only does exercising frequently raises your HDL as well as exercising for longer periods of time, or harder (within reason), all contribute to raising our HDL cholesterol level.

The first step in the plan to raise HDL cholesterol level is often to make lifestyle changes such as proper nutrition, exercising on a regular basis and to stop smoking cigarettes or to stop drinking alcoholic beverages.

Basically, there are two types of cholesterol – the "bad" kind that causes heart disease and the associated problems, and the "good" kind that helps your heart. Research done on fish oil has suggested that taking fish oil as a supplement can help you improve the level of "good" cholesterol in your body and may even help you to lower the amount of bad cholesterol.

The other good news about fish oil is that it may help lower the amounts of triglyceride levels in your bloodstream, a common problem for people who have high cholesterol. Having high triglycerides is another sign that you are developing heart disease.

Studies on the effectiveness of fish oil in fighting high cholesterol problems is still going on, and continues to support the theory that using fish oils can help you to prevent heart disease and protect your health. Scientists are focusing on how omega-3 fatty acids, found in fish oil, and how they relate to cholesterol levels to try to understand why heart disease risks are lower in people who make it a habit of eating fatty fish.

To understand the relationship, it is helpful to understand the difference between "good" and "bad" cholesterol. "Bad" cholesterol is known as ldl cholesterol, and is termed "bad" because of its habit of building up on the walls of the arteries. This causes the arteries to narrow, restricting blood flow, and increasing the risk of heart attacks and strokes. The "good" cholesterol is known as hdl cholesterol, and is generally considered "good" because it removes the cholesterol from the arteries around the heart and takes it back to the liver where it can be processed.

The theory behind why fish oils may be so beneficial to cholesterol is that they increase the amount of hdl cholesterol. This means that more cholesterol is being carried away from your heart, helping to prevent heart disease.

During the studies, the level of triglycerides is also looked at. Triglycerides are a type of fat, and people that have high levels of ldl cholesterol generally will also have a high level of triglycerides. People suffering from heart disease also have high levels of triglycerides. Fish oil is thought to reduce the amount of triglycerides in the blood, reducing the risk of heart disease.

At the moment, scientists remain unable to explain exactly how fish oil works to improve heart health, though the medical community commonly accepts that fish oil can be beneficial. The food and drug administration has even said that omega 3 fatty acids are beneficial for heart health, and fish oils are one of the best natural sources for omega 3s. And since fish oil does not have any known side effects, you can go ahead and take the supplements while you are waiting for science to figure out why.

If you visit your local grocery or health store, you will see that the number of diets and diet plans for lowering cholesterol are definitely on the rise. This can be good news if you are one of the millions of people suffering from high cholesterol. However, even if your cholesterol levels are within a healthy range, if you are 40 or over you may want to consider a lower cholesterol diet as well, as this can be beneficial to your overall health. Here is a look at what your low cholesterol and low fat food options are and how to figure out what will work best for you.

One of the best sources of information on lower cholesterol diets is your doctor. Your doctor is already aware of your current health condition, as well as any problems you might have outside of elevated cholesterol levels. He or she will also be able to tell if you need additional assistance in the form of medications. In most cases, your lower cholesterol diet will involve reducing the higher fat foods in your diet and making lower fat food choices.

There are a few options of cholesterol lowering diets already on the market. Many work by targeting the amount of fat that you eat. How much fat you eat, particularly saturated fat, has a big influence on what your cholesterol level will be. Here are a few of the most popular cholesterol lowering diets:

* The Mediterranean Diet – This diet focuses on eating plenty of fresh vegetables, fruits, and grains. These can help lower your cholesterol levels as well as provide you with many of the vitamins and nutrients that you need for overall health. Only a small amount of red meat is included in this diet, though you are allowed some dairy, poultry, and fish. Another central part of this diet is the suggestion that a glass of wine be consumed at each meal, so if you have liver problems or do not tolerate alcohol well you should talk to your doctor before starting this diet.

* The Vegetarian Diet – While many people choose to eat a vegetarian diet for a variety of reasons, it can also be very good for lowering your cholesterol. For most vegetarians, meat, poultry, fish, dairy, and egg products are not allowed. Therefore the majority of the diet comes from fruits, vegetables, and grains, with soy, nuts, and seed products being the main source of protein.

* The Mayo Clinic Diet – This diet was designed by the Mayo Clinic medical center for patients who needed to lower both cholesterol and blood pressure levels. Like the previous two diets, it includes a high level of fresh fruit and vegetables, but it is not as restrictive about some of the other food groups.

The easiest way to do this is through your diet. Foods that are high in saturated fats can greatly contribute to the amount of cholesterol that you have. This includes fried foods, fattier cuts of meats, different cheeses, and processed foods like cookies, cakes, and cold cuts.

Cutting back on these foods may be all that it takes for some people to lower their cholesterol. Others may have to go on a more stringent diet. A stricter diet plan often calls for lower saturated fat and cholesterol. This will usually require that fewer than 7% of the calories that you eat come from saturated fat (approximately 140 in the average 2000 calorie diet). It also requires you to eat fewer than 300 mg of cholesterol a day. The plan may also require you to limit the amount of calories that you eat in a day, since being overweight can influence your cholesterol levels.

If diet alone does not change your cholesterol enough to bring it back down to normal ranges, your doctor may advise you to start taking a medication to help you with bringing it down. Exercise is also a common part of cholesterol-lowering routines.

When you are considering controlling your cholesterol with a diet plan, there are two "super foods" that you should consider adding to your diet. One is fish, and the other is fiber.

Fish is a good choice for anyone that is looking for a healthier diet. High in protein, it can be used as a substitute for fattier red meats as one of your protein choices. Fatty and cold water fish also contain omega 3 fatty acids. Omega 3s have a variety of health boosting benefits. One of these is the fact that Omega 3s ca help with your cholesterol problems. Omega 3s naturally boost your HDL cholesterol level. HDL cholesterol is the cholesterol that is carried away from your heart to the liver where it can be used, which in turn helps and prevents heart disease. This can help you naturally lower the levels of bad cholesterol, bring down your blood pressure, and reduce your risk of clots that could cause heart attacks or strokes.

Fiber is good for a healthy diet as well. Found in fruits, grains, and vegetables, it helps to keep your digestive system regular, fill you up, and provides nutrition. Increasing the amount of fresh foods that you eat and decreasing the amounts of fatty meats can go a long way to lowering your cholesterol. Fresh fruits and veggies also contain high levels of the nutrients needed to boost good cholesterol levels so that your body can fight off high cholesterol problems naturally. Some grains, like oatmeal, have even been shown to have cholesterol-reducing effects when eaten on a regular basis.

A few simple changes may be all that you need to help bring your cholesterol to a healthy level.

* Heredity – Unfortunately, heredity does play a role in your cholesterol levels, and is one of those things that you cannot control. Basically, your genes can have an affect on how quickly your body makes and eliminated LDL cholesterol from your blood. If someone in your family has high cholesterol, this is something that you will want to keep an eye on for yourself. Family-inherited high cholesterol can lead to early heart disease and cause complications such as heart attacks and strokes at a younger age. About 1 in 500 people have cholesterol problems because of their genetics.

* Weight – While not every person who is overweight suffers from high cholesterol, nor does every person who is at a healthy weight have a healthy level of cholesterol, weight can have an influence on your personal levels. If you have high cholesterol, particularly high LDL cholesterol, and are overweight losing weight may help you to bring your numbers down. Losing weight can also improve your triglyceride levels and your HDL cholesterol levels.

* Diet – You have heard the saying "you are what you eat" and for high cholesterol diet does play a role. If you eat foods that are high in saturated fat and cholesterol, you will raise the levels of cholesterol in your body. The most effective way to help lower your cholesterol through diet is to watch your intake of saturated fat. Processed food and animal products are the worst contributors of saturated fat.

* Age and Sex – How old you are and your gender will influence your cholesterol levels. Before menopause, women have an advantage over men in that their hormones help them to naturally regulate the amount of "good" cholesterol that they have in their bodies. However, as they age these hormones decrease, and by the age of 50 many women will have higher levels of cholesterol than their male counterparts. Besides this, the older you are the more likely you are to suffer from cholesterol-related problems like heart disease and strokes.

* Stress – Many people are under a good deal of stress from their jobs, families, or other factors. Unfortunately, stress leads to a lot of unhealthy habits that can contribute to high cholesterol levels. Smoking, drinking alcohol, and eating less than perfect diets are often the result of stress and can all raise cholesterol levels. Plus, people who are stressed often do not take the time to take adequate care of themselves, and so may not be getting the regular doctors visits that could diagnose them with rising cholesterol levels before they become a problem.

* Exercise – Exercise is good for the strength of your heart as well as to improve blood flow throughout your body. Regular exercise can also help increase good cholesterol levels and decrease bad cholesterol levels so that you can find a healthy balance.