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High cholesterol is a leading cause of thickening of the arteries. There is more. This is known as atherosclerosis & can lead to other cardiovascular diseases, including heart disease. If some one has high cholesterol they are advised to change their diet & take more exercise. This article will explain what cholesterol does to the body, in particular, reference to LDL cholesterol & why it is considered bad for the body.

Cholesterol is produced naturally in the liver. It gives a number of vital functions within the body but gets most attention when there is too much of it in our bodies & thus causes problems. There is more. Too much cholesterol is often due to eating too many products that are high in cholesterol, notably animal products like meat & dairy produce. Cholesterol is absorbed by the digestive system from these types of foods.

Cholesterol, like other byproducts of digested food, such as triglycerides, are transported throughout the body via the bloodstream. However, cholestrol is not soluble in blood so it is attached to lipoproteins that act as a transport for cholesterol.

Lipoproteins can be classified into 5 types with regards to cholesterol transport. The one that we are concerned with in this article is known as low density lipoprotein (LDL). It is job is to bind with cholesterol & take it to all parts of the body to do it is vital work. This combination of LDL & cholesterol gets the name LDL Cholesterol.

It is often referred to as bad cholesterol because it has a tendency to bind with the artery walls. There is more. This is the first stages of atherosclerosis or atherosclerotic lesions. As more LDL cholesterol passes through the arteries, more of it will bind to the artery & may be referred to as atheromas or plague.

As more plague develops & becomes thicker it will reduce the flow of blood through the arteries & increases the overall pressure. The can lead to high blood pressure & heart problems. There is more. The ultimate consequence of plague build up is that it seals or occludes the artery. Or, that parts of plague break free from the artery walls & form a clot in other parts of the thickened artery. If one of these events occurs the person can suffer a stroke or heart attack.

By monitoring the total cholesterol in the body, you can ensure that you never get to this stage. You must also endeavour to be disciplined in your eating & exercise habits.

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Find out how eating low cholesterol food & starting a low cholesterol diet can help to reduce bad cholesterol at http://www.lowcholesteroldieting.com . Adrian Whittle writes on issues related to reducing cholesterol & how to monitor cholesterol levels.