Health Information Center

Cholesterol is a type of fat that is produced by your body and is also found in foods that come from animal sources (meat, milk products, eggs, poultry, and fish). Your body’s cells need cholesterol to function properly. However, excess cholesterol in the blood can build up inside your arteries (atherosclerosis), causing them to narrow. Atherosclerosis is the starting point for most heart and circulation problems.

Good and Bad Cholesterol

Cholesterol travels through your bloodstream attached to protein, in a combination called a lipoprotein. Two lipoproteins are the main carriers of cholesterol: low-density lipoprotein (LDL) and high-density lipoprotein (HDL). High-density lipoproteins contain more protein than they do fat. Continue reading ‘High Cholesterol in Old Age’ »

Heart disease is the biggest killer in the United States these days. There are many things that go into this general cardiac category including exercise, diet and lifestyle issues such as smoking. Cholesterol is one topic that is always front and center in this discussion.

What is cholesterol? It is a soft, waxy substance that is found in the blood stream. It is often touted as being universally bad, but it is not. It is needed by the body for basic molecular functions and is actually produced by the liver. In fact, the liver can often produce too much of it when someone is going through massive weight loss. This can lead to a chronic problem in the gallbladder which stores the bile/cholesterol produced by the liver. Many people that have gastric bypass surgery also have to have their gallbladders removed for this very reason.

It was long thought that there was only one type of cholesterol. In truth, there are two. They are found in low density lipoproteins ["LDL"] and high density lipoproteins ["HDL"]. Importantly, neither of these items is cholesterol itself. They simply carry it around the bloodstream. Let’s look at each. Continue reading ‘Contrasting LDL and HDL Cholesterol’ »

HDL or “good” cholesterol can help prevent heart disease, but did you know it can also protect you against cancer?  A new study shows that it can cut your risk of cancer by 21% for every 10 point rise in your HDL cholesterol.  Here are a few things you can do to pump up your HDL cholesterol.

• Eat soy.  Soy protein improves the liver’s ability to product HDL cholesterol.  British studies suggest that consuming 14 grams of soy protein daily can raise your HDL cholesterol by 4%.  This is the equivalent of two 8-oz. glasses of soy milk or one soy burger. Continue reading ‘Prevent Cancer With Good Cholesterol’ »