Why is high blood cholesterol level damaging to health?
The build-up of cholesterol in the artery walls is called “arteriosclerosis” and it narrows the arteries so that the flow of blood to the heart is restricted or blocked. With less blood, the heart gets less oxygen which may cause chest pain, heart attack, or even death. Cholesterol build-up is the most common cause of heart attack. Heredity, diet, age, gender, weight, smoking and physical activity can all affect blood cholesterol levels. Other risk factors, such as smoking and high blood pressure, can compound the effect of cholesterol as a risk factor for coronary heart disease. Heart disease has the highest death rate of all diseases today. The cholesterol problem! Despite its bad reputation, a certain amount of cholesterol is necessary to sustain life. The body uses cholesterol to form cell membranes and it is also an ingredient in various hormones. The body produces about 1,000 milligrams of cholesterol each day, to maintain health. Food provides another source of cholesterol, whic
