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Cholesterol: The Good, The Bad, And The Ugly |
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Written by Dawn Robertshaw
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Page 1 of 2 Understanding cholesterol and how it affects the body can be a tricky subject, since there are two different types of cholesterol. Generally, when we talk about having high cholesterol, we mean the “bad’ kind, commonly called LDL cholesterol. By studying the LDL cholesterol and learning the results of high LDL cholesterol in your body, you can help keep yourself healthy and prevent things such as strokes and heart attacks, both of which can potentially be fatal.
Cholesterol is something that we need in the body. This substance is a soft, waxy fat found in the blood stream and used in the production of cell membrane and hormones. Without some amount of cholesterol in our bodies, we would die. However, cholesterol is produced in the liver, and so it is rarely necessary that we need to ingest extra amounts of this substance in order to live. Unfortunately, high amounts of cholesterol are found in many foods, leading some people to develop hypercholesterolemia, or high cholesterol.
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