The world knows about cholesterol and the fact that high cholesterol is bad. High cholesterol is one of the main causes of heart diseases and heart attacks. It is observed that more people worldwide have died from strokes and heart attacks than all the wars took place in the world. It may be surprising, but factually there is a large amount of people worldwide, with high cholesterol without even being aware of it. With the introduction of fast food chains and the unhealthy life style that so many people have adopted over the last decade, more and more people opting to eat foods full of saturates, the number of people not lowering cholesterol levels is on the rise. Lowering cholesterol to lead a healthy life is essential.

First of all, people should know what is cholesterol? Cholesterol is a fatty substance which means it does not dissolve in the bloodstream. Because of this, cholesterol needs a special way in which to move throughout the body. When there is too much bad cholesterol in your blood the risks of heart attack, heart disease and stroke are increased. When the heart arteries become clogged, enough blood cannot flow through them to reach the heart. This results in chest pain. When the artery is completely cut off by a total blockage the result is a heart attack.

The lowering of cholesterol is important for everyone irrespective of age or gender. High cholesterol does not show any symptoms due to which a lot of people are unaware of the fact that they have high cholesterol. Hence, it is essential for everyone to find out what your cholesterol levels are, because by lowering cholesterol that is too high you can lessen your risk for developing heart disease and suffering from a heart attack or stroke. Although high cholesterol levels increase your risk of developing heart and blood vessel disease, other factors, such as smoking, blood pressure and age, also contribute to increasing your risk.

Scientists developed a risk calculator with which each and every person with high cholesterol levels can have their risk calculated. You can calculate your own risk, using the online risk calculator, or you can ask your doctor to calculate your risk. It is important to know your risk, as your cholesterol goal levels are set according to your risk. For some people the risk will be high from the outset and no calculation is required. For the rest, risk calculation is required to determine goal cholesterol levels. When the risk factor is considered, alcohol in excess can damage the liver and heart muscle and lead to high blood pressure.

If you are suffering from high cholesterol then it's time to start making big changes to your eating habits, and adopts a healthier eating regime. Make sure you do not get overweight. Being overweight increases your cholesterol and is a risk factor for developing heart disease. With the help of online websites you will find various experts advising people on cholesterols. Browse online and refer to some good site for understand and maintaining cholesterol levels.