Knowing about cholesterol
Your body needs cholesterol to produce cell membranes and some hormones. Cholesterol is a soft wax-like substance in your bloodstream and in your cells. When you have too much of the wrong kind of cholesterol, you could increase your risk for developing heart disease, heart attacks and other heart disease complications.
Your body gets cholesterol in two ways: your body makes some of it and the rest comes from your diet. Eating too much of foods with high cholesterol can hurt you. These foods are animal products such as meats, poultry, fish, eggs, butter and whole milk. Plant foods such as fruit, vegetables and cereal don’t have cholesterol.
But beware. Some foods that don’t have animal products may have trans fats, which cause your body to create more cholesterol. Also, getting too much saturated fat found in foods such as some vegetable oils and items made with them can also cause the body to make too much cholesterol.
Blood cholesterol is measured in milligrams per deciliter of blood (mg/dL). Your total blood cholesterol generally falls into these categories:
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Desirable – Less than 200 mg/dL.
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Borderline high risk – 200 to 239 mg/dL.
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High risk – 240 mg/dL and higher.