Cholesterol tends to be a much misunderstood substance. It has acquired something of a bad name because it is associated with unpleasant syndromes such as for example formation of blood clots in the bloodstream. The term high cholesterol is thus widely considered to be a bad thing, which in fact it is, but it also gives rise to the common misunderstanding that all cholesterol is dangerous.

Cholesterol is actually a fatty, waxy substance that occurs naturally in the body. It is created mainly in the liver and is necessary for all manner of vital functions from cell membrane creation to hormone production. Without cholesterol you would quickly die and in order to maintain a healthy lifestyle we need to maintain, not so much a low level, but a proper level of cholesterol.

The generally negative view of cholesterol undoubtedly derives from the fact that if it is too high it can lead to high blood pressure, gallstones and quite possibly a heart attack or stroke. Contributory factors leading to high cholesterol include diet, heredity, lack of exercise, smoking and high blood-sugar levels.

Cholesterol cannot travel through the blood stream by itself. It is transported by either Low Density Lipoprotein (LDL) or High Density Lipoprotein (HDL) that as the names suggest package the cholesterol into protein composites.

It is important for the body to maintain a balance between the amount of LDL and HDL in the body. If there is a build-up of LDL in the arteries, it can among other things attract macrophages which are immune cells that obtain their cholesterol supplies from LDL. These can attach themselves to the LDLs and further complicate matters.

Herbal treatments can reduce the level of LDL and raise the level of HDL in the bloodstream. However most herbal treatments must be used for several months for realising their full benefit, though blood tests may show some improvement after as little as three weeks.

Other recommendations are to eat a diet low in saturated fat and calories and to reinforce this regime with exercise. You can also use alfalfa sprouts in your cooking to block the absorption of cholesterol from food and make sure you supplement your diet with vitamin B and other natural nutrients such as fresh juices including carrot, celery and beet juices. Avoid eating salted nuts including walnuts and almonds. Making sure you get the proper vitamins and minerals through eating good foods and the taking of vitamin supplements is essential to the maintenance of proper cholesterol levels.