Most people realize that cholesterol accumulation in the arteries is a bad thing and that preventing plaque buildup from occurring in the first place means an overall improvement in your health. In fact cholesterol buildup is actually associated with many of the leading causes of death, most notably heart disease and stroke.

So if we all know that plaque build up in the arteries is such a bad thing why then do so many people seem to get it? Why is it so common? The answer to this lies in the fact that the common signs of clogged arteries are not easily apparent to people at first and the actions we take that lead to its accumulation are difficult to reverse or change.

First of all, cholesterol builds up in the arteries on a typical basis because of minor abrasions or damage to the inner layer of the blood vessels, the endothelium. These abrasions are often caused by friction due to the effects of high blood pressure. When tiny tears occur, circulating LDL cholesterol can easily accumulate in the tear and then as the blood vessel heals the cholesterol is thus trapped inside the wall of the blood vessel.

This is a classic example of how cholesterol turns into artery plaques and it illustrates how the process can go unnoticed. We typically don’t have any sign that our blood pressure is high or that the cholesterol levels in our blood are not healthy. We periodically get these levels checked but over time the effects can lead to plaque build up and time, in this case, is our biggest enemy.

Ideally we need to avoid high blood pressure and high levels of LDL cholesterol to mitigate the risk of over accumulation of cholesterol which can build up on the artery walls. If we can successfully bring our HDL cholesterol levels up this will help since HDL cholesterol soaks up excess LDL, returning it to the liver. Similarly, if we can lower our average blood pressure levels this will also help.

The point is however that the most common serious medical conditions that now afflict most people in the developed world, and Americans in particular, are a direct result of cholesterol and plaque in the arteries. Take the initiative to get healthy and you will not regret it later on in life.