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Page 23
| The Perils of Cholesterol |
| Cholesterol is a fatlike substance manufactured by your body and also found in animal foods high in saturated fat such as: egg yolks, meat, poultry, fish, and high-fat milk products. |
| Since you've no doubt heard that cholesterol is linked to serious diseases, the obvious question is: why does your body make it? Like fat, cholesterol is essential for various physical functions: it's an important part of cell membranes and a building block for important hormones. Your body makes at least enough cholesterol to fulfill these functions; some people manufacture more than they need and have naturally elevated blood cholesterol levels. |
| Excess cholesterol, whether manufactured by your body or provided by a diet high in saturated fat and cholesterol, can clog the arteries, leading to heart attack or stroke. |
| That's why you should monitor your cholesterol level. When you ask your doctor to measure it for you, make sure you find out not only your overall cholesterol level but also the ratio of ''bad" and "good" cholesterol. Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) is the bad kind, the one that sticks to your artery walls. High-density lipoprotein (HDL) is the good kind; it transports dangerous cholesterol out of the blood and into the liver for disposal. Ideally, you want your HDL to be higher than your LDL. The National Cholesterol Education Program recommends keeping your total cholesterol below 200; LDL should be below 130, and HDL above 65. |
| F.Y.I. |
| Saturated fats raise cholesterol levels more than dietary cholesterol does. For example, eating shrimp, which are high in cholesterol but contain unsaturated fat, is better for you than eating so-called "cholesterol-free" cookies, which are likely to be laden with saturated or hydrogenated fats. So check nutrition labels for saturated fat rather than those "cholesterol-free" claims. |
| Keeping Cholesterol in Check |
| Most people can keep cholesterol under control by getting plenty of exercise and eating a diet rich |
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