High Cholesterol

Circulatory System

Cholesterol is a crystalline fatty alcohol, especially found in animal fats, blood, nerve tissue and bile. Small amounts of cholesterol are essential for maintaining nerve cells and for synthesizing natural hormones. You do not need to eat cholesterol-rich foods such as fatty meats and dairy products in order to have your daily quota of this substance. Your liver can utilize other foods to manufacture all the cholesterol your body needs.

Cholesterol has been divided into two types: LDL (low density lipoprotein) and HDL (high density lipoprotein). LDL has been labeled as “bad cholesterol”, while HDL is considered “good cholesterol”. Cholesterol levels are a combined measurement of both LDL and HDL, and should fall under 190 units.

High cholesterol levels in blood have been linked to heart attacks and strokes. In most cases, elevated cholesterol levels in the blood are from diet and lifestyle, however, this tendency can also be from a genetic pre-disposition.

Elevations in cholesterol levels may be the result of low thyroid function.