What is Cholesterol?

I’ve never really (ever) paid attention to my cholesterol. I’m young & fit, I don’t need to start worrying about that just yet, right? Wrong. Apparently, more people are testing with high cholesterol now, COVID – the gift that keeps on giving. Oh, and children can have high cholesterol levels, just like adults.

Our eating and exercise habits have been greatly impacted during this time. Little by little, we can demystify the complex workings of our insides. I invite you to share some health tips with us. Here’s a little I’ve learned about Cholesterol – The Good The Bad & The Ugly.

Not all cholesterol is bad. As a matter of fact, your liver & intestines produce 80% of cholesterol you need to stay healthy. The good cholesterol carries the bad cholesterol from your arteries and back to the liver, where it’s broken down and nature does what it does.

The bad cholesterol contributes to fatty deposits/plaque build-up on the walls of the blood vessels. This in turn narrows or in severe cases completely blocks the arteries and hence less blood is carried to organs, which also means less oxygen (clip above). If the artery was supplying to the heart or brain, a heart attack or stroke happens; and if supplying to extremities, often legs, the tissue dies.

Hope that sheds a bit of light into understanding Cholesterol. For more info & tips on managing, please check out this guide -> https://www.heart.org/-/media/files/health-topics/cholesterol/my-cholesterol-guide-english.pdf?la=en

Know Your Health .. Mental & Physical!

Sources: visiblebody.com, heart.org, health.harvard.edu