Cholesterol: What is it?

Cholesterol is a natural fat-like substance that is made in the liver and is also obtained through the diet. About 80% of the cholesterol in your blood is produced in your liver. Only about 20% of your blood cholesterol is influenced by what you eat. [www.eggs.ca]

Our body uses cholesterol to insulate nerves throughout the body, maintain cell walls and produce vitamin D, digestive juices and certain hormones.

High Blood Cholesterol

Referring back to the Healthy Eating Module, we know that:

• High levels of cholesterol in the blood are the result of a diet high in saturated and trans fat.
• High density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol is good for you because it helps remove blood cholesterol out of you body through the liver.
• Low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol is bad for you because it leaves blood cholesterol in your arteries.
• Dietary cholesterol can raise blood cholesterol in some people but saturated and trans fats have a much bigger impact on your blood cholesterol.
• Triglycerides are a type of fat found in the blood that increases your risk of stroke.

High Blood Cholesterol and Stroke

High cholesterol/triglyceride levels cause hard plaque to deposit on the inner walls of your blood vessels, causing them to narrow. This makes it difficult for blood to flow through the body. This can lead to blood clots, blocking the flow of blood to the brain, causing a stroke.

Picture from www.Eggs.ca