Page 8 - BeaufortMemorial

Which number comes closest to your total cholesterol level: 160? 200? 245? If you’re 20 or older, you should know the answer. Tat’s the age at which the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) generally recommends begin-ning cholesterol screenings—and for good reason: High cholesterol contributes to heart disease, the nation’s No. 1 killer. Knowing where your cholesterol stands—and doing something about it if it’s not where it should be—could save your life. Your body needs some cholesterol to function properly. Te waxy, fatlike substance, which is found in all of the body’s cells, helps in making hormones, vitamin D and substances that aid diges-tion. Your body actually makes most of its cholesterol. Only about a quarter of the cholesterol in your blood comes from what you consume.

Cholesterol travels through the bloodstream, carried by lipoproteins— substances that are made of lipids (fats) on the inside and proteins on the outside. Tere are two types:

➜➜ Low-density lipoprotein (LDL, bad cholesterol), which can build up in artery walls and restrict blood fow. Ultimately, that may lead to a heart attack or stroke. ➜➜ High-density lipoprotein (HDL, good