ACCOUNTING FOR LIFE SAVING NUMBERS 4: Cholesterol

Numbers in these posts are for heads-up information only and should not be used as substitute for regular check-ups and competent medical advice.

Cholesterol is a waxy, fat-like substance that occurs naturally in all parts of the body. Your body needs some cholesterol to work properly. But if you have too much in your blood, it can stick to the walls of your arteries. This is called plaque. Plaque can narrow your arteries or even block them.

High levels of cholesterol in the blood can increase your risk of heart disease. Your cholesterol levels tend to rise as you get older. There are usually no signs or symptoms that you have high blood cholesterol, but it can be detected with a blood test. You are likely to have high cholesterol if members of your family have it, if you are overweight or if you eat a lot of fatty foods.

On the average, 75% of cholesterol is produced by the liver & other cells, 25% comes from food.

info source: MedlinePlus of the US National Library of Medicine & National Institute of Health, graphics by Ren Garcia