What is cholesterol?
Cholesterol is a soft waxy substance and is an essential body fat (lipid), that is carried around the body in the blood. It can be found in all the body's cells.
Only a small amount of the cholesterol in the body comes from your diet, it is mostly made in the body by the liver.
The dietary cholesterol is found in food that comes from animals such as meat, poultry, fish, seafood and dairy products, especially egg yolks.
Cholesterol is required by the body to keep itself healthy, but too much cholesterol circulating in the blood is a health risk.
What causes cholesterol to be high?
In the UK too much saturated fat in the diet is the most common cause of high cholesterol. Saturated fat encourages the body to make more cholesterol than it needs or can get rid of.
In the UK we tend to eat a lot of saturated fat and this is probably why we have the highest rates of coronary heart disease in the world.
If you are a cigarette smoker you have about twice the risk of having a heart attack than a non-smoker. If you also suffer with high blood pressure and high cholesterol, the 3 factors together multiply the chances of you suffering a heart attack by more than 8 times.
However, high cholesterol levels can occasionally run in families, and in this situation it is usually because the body does not cope well with normal amounts of cholesterol being eaten.
What happens if my cholesterol level is high?
If there is too much cholesterol in the blood and the body can’t get rid of it, the unused cholesterol can build up in the artery walls, leading to the hardening and narrowing of the arteries.
This narrowing of the arteries slows down the flow of blood to your heart. This condition is known as arteriosclerosis.
In severe cases the blood supply can be cut off completely. It is at this point a heart attack occurs. If an artery in the brain becomes blocked this can trigger a stroke to occur.
How can I reduce my cholesterol levels?
High cholesterol is a major factor of heart disease, but it can be treated through diet and exercise. The first step in lowering cholesterol levels is to change your diet.
Most individuals can reduce their cholesterol level 15-20% by reducing the intake of foods high in cholesterol and fat, especially saturated fat.
Food to avoid or limit:
Try to grill or steam meats instead of frying or roasting, but if you do roast, place meat on a rack to allow the fat to drain off. When frying choose a vegetable oil, such as sunflower.