Truth About Cholesterol People are always getting confused about the two types of cholesterol found in the blood stream. In this article, we will differentiate between HDL (high density lipoprotein), or the “good guys” and LDL (low density lipoprotein), or the “bad guys”. The levels of HDL cholesterol and LDL cholesterol in the blood are measured to evaluate the risk of having a heart attack. Overweight people are more likely to have high cholesterol from eating too many fatty foods, but thin people should also have their cholesterol checked regularly. Often people who don’t gain weight easily are less aware of how much saturated fat they eat. Nobody can “eat anything they want” and stay heart healthy. Cholesterol should be checked regularly regardless of your weight, exercise habits and diet.
When too much LDL is circulating in the blood stream, it can slowly build up in the inner walls of the arteries that feed the heart and brain. Along with other substances it can form plaque, a thick, hard deposit that can clog those arteries. This process of arterial hardening is known as atherosclerosis “the ugly”. Most people who have this “hardening of arteries” are more likely to have a …