Cholesterol is a fatty, waxy substance that is naturally present in the cell membrane of the heart, muscles, intestine, liver, skin, brain and nerves. Liver makes up about 80% of the requirement and therefore our diet needs to supplement only the rest 20%. Excess cholesterol in the body causes increase in its flow in the circulatory system, which is the precursor of atherosclerosis, where the fat is deposited on the sides of the walls of the arteries leading to narrowingof the vessels and thereby increasing blood pressure and coronary heart disease. High cholesterol can also lead to stroke and impotence.
LDL (bad cholesterol) and HDL (good cholesterol) are the two basic types of cholesterol. While HDL removes the cholesterol deposit from the wall LDL is responsible for thickening of the arteries. High cholesterol level is a result of sedentary life style, fatty food, obesity, smoking, alcohol etc.
Hence what is healthy and safe cholesterol level? A total cholesterol level under 200mg/dl is considered healthy. The LDL cholesterol level below 100mg/dl and the HDL gathering a total of minimum 40mg/dl is considered healthy.
As we talk of cholesterol, the triglycerides cannot be missed. It is a type of fat found in the blood that is usually used for energy and also has a direct link with heart ailments, if found in excess. The average triglyceride level to be healthy is up to 150mg/dl, 150 – 199mg/dl is considered borderline to high and a value above 200 mg/dl is considered high.
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