Cholesterol and Heart Disease

Cholesterol and heart disease has long been the favorite subjects of most medical studies.  Almost a hundred of researches and studies have been conducted just to find out the real link between cholesterol and heart disease.  It’s nice to know that most of these studies have succeeded in finding the connection between these two interesting concepts.

So what do the studies have found out about cholesterol and heart disease?

The link between cholesterol and heart disease is explained on the notion that high level of cholesterol in the body may lead to heart disease.  The question is how high exactly must the cholesterol be in the body to lead to heart disease?  Well, this is what many studies have found out:

Cholesterol is highly needed in the body for the organs to function properly.  The cholesterol is a fat-like substance that serves a number of useful functions.  For instance, the liver needs it for its proper functioning.  It also helps to maintain the cellular structures on the body and cholesterol is highly capable of transmitting the nerve impulses.  However, it is important to note that all of these mentioned useful functions can only be performed with an exact level of cholesterol.  If the amount of fat exceeds from what the body needs to function properly, the tendency is certain complications like heart disease may occur.

Note that the fat substances travel around your body in tiny clumps of fat and protein known medically as lipoproteins.   There are two kinds of this though: the HDL or good cholesterol, and the LDL or bad cholesterol.   The LDL is the one that carries cholesterol where it is needed, and the HDL is the one that carries leftover cholesterol back to the liver.  Now, the connection between cholesterol and heart disease occurs when a high level of cholesterol is carried around your system.   Heart disease will occur once the LDL cholesterol exceeds on its normal amount.  It will travel through the arteries and since the LDL is high, it tends to build up in the coronary arteries forming hard lumps known as plaques.  The plaque is actually what makes the arteries rigid and narrower.  If this happens, the flow of the blood and oxygen to the heart will be altered.  Chest pain can be felt, and if the arteries are completely blocked, heart attack develops.

For such reasons, people who are afraid to develop risks of heart disease are advised to lower their cholesterol level.   According to certain studies that address the link between cholesterol and heart disease, the best way to reduce cholesterol and prevent heart disease is to adopt a healthy diet.  Note that the link between cholesterol and heart disease is made possible with poor diet.  So it is then wise to eat a healthy diet and maintain a healthy weight.  Just eat foods that are good to the heart, such as vegetables, legumes, and certain types of fish, low fat dairy milk, and a lot more.  Also, stop smoking as it will only contribute to unhealthy high cholesterol values.   Finally, do some healthy exercise to allow your heart to pump more blood with less effort.  That way you can break the link between cholesterol and heart disease.