We all hear that we need to watch the amount of fat we eat in our diets in order that we keep our cholesterol levels at a sensible level and not too high.
But what does all this mean? The Cholesterol levels in our body and our diet are linked to an increase risk in heart disease and/or stroke.
This means that if we suffer with a high level then we are more at risk, along with other factors in our lifestyle such as lack of exercise and too much alcohol.
But what is cholesterol? We are possibly aware that cholesterol comes from a high fat diet and causes our arteries to get blocked and become smaller thus increasing our risk to heart disease.
However, you probably don't know that there are two parts to your cholesterol level and they each play a different role.
If your doctor takes a reading then there are usually three numbers which form this reading.
One number reflects the total amount of cholesterol which is circulating in our bloodstream around our bodies.
There is also another reading which records the "LDL" part and the third reading which reflects the "HDL" part.
You see there are two parts to cholesterol which is a soft waxy substance that is carried our bodies in our bloodstream.
However only a small part is found in our diets, the main source is from our own bodies as the liver makes it.
"LDL" is the amount of bad cholesterol and this gets stuck in our arteries, reducing their capacity and can cause problems with our heart.
The "HDL" cholesterol is the good part and we need this in our bodies.
The role of "HDL" is to assist in escorting the bad cholesterol around our bodies and transport it to our liver for disposal.
If you have been diagnosed with high cholesterol levels, you will be told to watch your fat intake and adjust your diet.
You will be encouraged to eat more fish and cut back on eggs, avoid liver and reduce the amount of red meat you eat as well as changing and reducing the fat you eat.
However, did you know that if you lower your fat intake too much you could be lowering not only the harmful cholesterol in your body but the level of the good part too in our bodies which we need to ensure that the bad cholesterol is taken to our liver.
So we must ensure that we don't cut too much fat our of our diets.
Having a balanced diet including vitamin C and vitamin E can assist high levels.
Research has shown that having a higher level of vitamin C in your blood can higher your HDL level - the good part.
It is also believed that vitamin E which is fat soluble rather than water soluble like vitamin C, becomes part of the LDL format (the bad cholesterol) and can prevent the LDL cholesterol from oxidizing or going rancid and thus reduce it from clogging the arteries.
So now you know more about Cholesterol including the good and bad cholesterol in our bodies.
It is always advisable to seek guidance from your doctor to ensure that there are no adverse effects.