Ldl Cholesterol

In the fight for cardiovascular health it is good cholesterol versus bad cholesterol. Good cholesterol is known as HDL cholesterol, and bad cholesterol is known as LDL cholesterol. When everything is working properly and you are eating right and exercising, the two work in harmony together. When something is off, they sabotage each other.

It is LDL cholesterol’s job to transport the cholesterol that your liver makes from your liver to the rest of your body. Your body takes what it needs then sends the rest back as waste on the back of the HDL cholesterol. The HDL cholesterol helps your body clean out and dispose of any excess cholesterol.

Your body makes cholesterol all on its own in the liver. We also get cholesterol from food. The cholesterol we get from food is considered extra, and it matters what kind it is. Having a extra of the good cholesterol is fine, but too much LDL and you can develop problems with your overall cardiovascular health. When you get too much LDL, it can’t do its job efficiently anymore. It starts “losing” cholesterol deposits in your arteries during transport.

The cholesterol that stays behind in your arteries starts to build up. It is waxy in texture, and doesn’t take long to create a hardened plaque that won’t be budged by blood flow. Soon this plaque blocks blood flow, causing clogged arteries. Once you get clogged arteries and other heart health issues from cholesterol you are much more likely to experience a heart attack or stroke.

Arteriosclerosis is the fancy term for clogged arteries. People who are in the early stages of this disease can experience shortness of breath, dizziness, circulation problems, palpitations and racing pulse, among other things. If you think you might have this disease have your doctor run some tests on you to find out for sure. Because it affects the entire cardiovascular system, Arteriosclerosis should not be ignored.

You can use diet and exercise to increase your HDL levels and decrease your LDL levels. Just a few minutes of regular exercise each day, with a few longer workouts here and there, should help immensely. You don’t have to become an aerobics diva! A simple walk will be enough to get the blood flowing again, instead of sitting like sludge in your veins.

You can also jump start your heart health by sticking to a low cholesterol diet with plenty of fruits, vegetables, lean meat, poultry or fish and grains. If you eliminate sodas and other carbonated beverages, as well as most alcohol, you’ll notice a significant improvement in how you feel. By eliminating sugary sodas and alcohol, you’ll also notice a jump start to your weight loss program.

As you get healthier, exercising, eating right and making healthy choices will get easier. With a little practice you’ll start to look forward to your walks or exercise, and seek out healthier food alternatives. Many people who adopt a few lifestyle changes for heart health improve so dramatically that they can participate in life in a whole new way.