Cholesterol and How to Lower It

Having trouble lowering your Cholesterol? It can be hard when your body produces it. For the ones who are not sure what cholesterol is; it is a waxy fat like substance made in the liver and other cells. Cholesterol can also be found in certain foods. Now your thinking great how can it be lowered. The good part is your body is using cholesterol to function. Your cell walls or membranes use cholesterol to produce hormones, vitamin D, and the bile acids that help digest fat. Even though it is used for good to much can become a bad thing. To much cholesterol can lead to heart disease. There are two different types of cholesterol. They are low density lipoproteins (LDL) and high density lipoproteins (HDL). LDL is considered the bad cholesterol because it can cause build up on the walls of the arteries. HDL is considered good cholesteral because it helps get rid of the bad cholesterol.

What Affects the Cholesterol Levels

Diet, weight, exercise, age, gender, diabetes, and heredity. Age, gender, and heredity can't be helped when it comes to cholesterol. If you know high cholesterol runs in your family then it is important to take the steps needed to keep yours at a healthy level. Watching your weight and what you eat can help your cholesterol levels. If you have diabetes it is important to keep it under control.

Tips to Lower Cholesterol

• Eat low-cholesterol foods
• Quit smoking
• Exercise
• Medication

Right now there is an experiment drug that can reduce cholesterol by 66 percent. This drug is a monthly shot. It this comes to market this may be a good medication for those who are trying, but can't get it lower.