Cholesterol is nothing more than an association of steroid, lipid and alcohol that is found in the cell membranes of all body tissues. It is transported to the blood and it can be found in all animals. The Chemical formula of cholesterol is C27H45OH.

Many things have been said about cholesterol. Some doctors simply prescribe a diet free of foods that contain cholesterol and some others allow food with cholesterol. It is true that high levels of cholesterol in the blood may cause heart attack and some other distresses, such as stroke.

On the other hand, cholesterol is a very important compound to the well functioning of the body because it provides stability to the cells. In addition to that, cholesterol is a precursor of the synthesis of vitamin D and several hormones.

Cholesterol: Mr. Bad Guy or Mr. Nice Guy?

People say many things about cholesterol and the modern Western civilization seems to have increased this discussion. Nothing is for sure when it comes of cholesterol:

Why do some people who have a healthy diet and practice physical exercises regularly develop high cholesterol?

Why do some people who eat a lot of junk food and never practice physical exercises never develop high cholesterol?

This discussion is endless. And due to that, some people simply don't believe in the risks involved in case of high cholesterol. Actually, what some people state is that they don't have time to think about what they are eating: how can they think about cholesterol?

The discussion remains: is the cholesterol a bad guy or a nice guy? Well, there isn't an answer for that. If we say that cholesterol is a bad guy, we are simply discarding the benefits that cholesterol develops in the body, such as providing stability to the cells. On the other hand, high levels of cholesterol in the body block the arteries and veins, which may lead to heart diseases.

LDL and HDL: what is the difference?

LDL (low density lipoprotein) and HDL (high density lipoprotein) are types of cholesterol. Each one with different roles, but they are all the same.

The LDL cholesterol is the one usually called "bad cholesterol" since high levels of it may lead to coronary diseases. The LDL is the one responsible for depositing in he walls of arteries the cholesterol, which causes the formation of a hard and thick substance called cholesterol plaque. Within time, this plaque makes the arteries walls thick and narrow, starting a process called arteriosclerosis.

The HDL is the one considered the "good cholesterol". This type of cholesterol is the one responsible for removing the plaques of bad cholesterol from the artery walls, which prevents the arteriosclerosis.

This is the main difference regarding LDL and HDL cholesterols. Remember that keeping high levels of LDL and low levels of HDL may cause arteriosclerosis, while keeping low levels of LDL and high levels of HDL helps preventing it.

When do you start checkups?

Pretty much is said about cholesterol. Doctors used to advise people to check their cholesterol levels at the age of 35 if you are a man - and 45 if you are a woman. But this has been changing and it couldn't be kept that way.

Nowadays, it's common to find obese children. Although obesity is not a determining factor, it puts people in the risk group. Children have been eating a lot of junk food and this has been contributing to the increase of obese children and children with high cholesterol.

So, when should people start worrying about cholesterol levels? Well, everybody should worry about cholesterol if they are in the risk group and it doesn't matter how old they are. And who is the risk group? People considered to be in the risk group are those who:

- have cases of heart diseases in family
- had suffered a heart attack already
- are women going through menopause
- are obese
- suffer from high blood pressure
- suffer from diabetes
- are sedentary
- smoke

What are the recommended levels?

People are always worried about the recommended levels of cholesterol. Here is a simple guideline for that:

- Total cholesterol: should be kept under 200
- LDL cholesterol: should be kept under 130
- HDL cholesterol: should be kept 60 or higher

The most important thing regarding cholesterol, ignoring all these numbers, has to do with simply keeping it under 200.

Preventing high cholesterol

People can do some things in order to prevent high cholesterol from occuring and to reduce the levels of cholesterol if they are already high:

- Exercise frequently
- Stop smoking
- Avoid junk foods
- Eat plenty of vegetables and fresh fruits
- Drink juices and teas instead of sodas
- Avoid an excess of alcoholic drinks
- Lose weight if you are overweight or obese.

The most important thing to do is to keep cholesterol under control. You see: it is always better to prevent than to treat.