What is cholesterol, and why does it matter?
You might have heard about good cholesterol and bad cholesterol. You may know someone in your family, perhaps a parent or grandparent, who has high cholesterol. What is cholesterol, and why does it matter?
Put simply, cholesterol is a fatty substance found in our bodies. We need cholesterol to help our bodies work properly. The problem starts when there’s too much cholesterol, more specifically, where there’s too much bad cholesterol and not enough good cholesterol. That causes clogged-up arteries, which could, chas v’shalom, lead to heart attacks and strokes.
Your body starts collecting cholesterol in your arteries during childhood, and even more so as a teen. So what can you do about it?
HDL is your good cholesterol. It’s good because it doesn’t clog up your arteries. Instead, it acts as a kind of cholesterol-cleaner, removing bad cholesterol from your blood and bringing it to your liver, where it’s broken up and removed from your body. You can raise your HDL by eating lots of high-fiber fruits, veggies, whole grains, and legumes, which don’t have cholesterol at all. Experiment with new, fun, healthy recipes. Fatty fish and avocados, in particular, contain a lot of healthy fats. Dig in!
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