In the year 2004, Heart Disease, mainly caused by excess cholesterol in the body, is the leading cause of death in the United States, according to the U.S. National Center for Health Statistics. According to the same statistics, stroke - another cholesterol-related disease rank third on the list.

But, what really is cholesterol? Why is it so bad? Why do we have cholesterol? What are the problems it causes? We have to know what it is so we can understand how it affects our health and well being.

What is Cholesterol?

Cholesterol is a soft, fat-like, waxy substance which can be found throughout the human body. From the bloodstream to each and every one of your body’s cells, cholesterol can be found there. It’s normal for a person to have cholesterol: because cholesterol is an important part of the body.

Actually there are several types of cholesterol, but the most important are the Low Density Lipoprotein (LDL or “bad cholesterol”) and High Density Lipoprotein (HDL or “good cholesterol”). However, in this article, when we mention cholesterol, we will be referring to LDL or the bad cholesterol.

The Functions of Cholesterol

Cholesterol is important because of the role it plays inside the body. Cholesterol is used for building and maintaining cell membranes, the stuff that cover all our body’s tissues. Cholesterol help make the membrane’s fluidity or viscosity (the resistance of a fluid to deform) stable over wider temperature intervals. Because of this, cholesterol is found in all parts of the body.

Where can you get Cholesterol?

Cholesterol is acquired by the body in two ways: one, by making it or two, by getting cholesterol directly from the animal products you eat, such as meat, poultry, fish, eggs, butter, cheese and whole milk. Large concentration of Food from plants like vegetables, fruits and cereals does not have cholesterol. But some might have Trans Fats, stuff that cause your body to make more cholesterol. Foods containing saturated fat also let the body produce more cholesterol.

Problems with Cholesterol

Because of its functions, cholesterol is an important part of the bodily functions. However, the excess of it, like with all other things, is bad for the body. When there is too much Low Density Lipoprotein or bad cholesterol in the body, it has a tendency to accumulate around the cells of your body.

This condition is called Hypercholesteromia.

When you are in this condition, you have a high risk of getting Heart problems and other diseases. The most prominent cause of this disease is the condition called Atherosclerosis. Atherosclerosis occurs when the inner walls of our arteries become coated with plaque, a substance that is composed of fat, cholesterol and other substances, which build up and harden over the course of time. When this happens, the arterial walls thicken and, more often than not, lead to clogging the bloodstream and limiting the flow of blood into the various parts body such as the brain, heart and other vital organs.

As the arterial walls thicken and harden, they begin losing their elasticity and flexibility, becoming weak and feeble, increasing the chances of bursting and forming clots in the blood under high blood pressure. The moment this occurs, clots cause obstruction, or the complete blockage of the flow of blood in the body.  This condition is often the main reason for many serious diseases and conditions such as heart attack, stroke, kidney failure, erectile dysfunction, organ malfunction and other diseases.

So it is important that you carefully watch over and manage your cholesterol levels if you want to live a long, healthy and productive life.