Cholesterol has long been associated with many heart-related diseases and disorders. But what is cholesterol? It is a fatty substance produced mainly by the liver but it can also be found in the various foods people eat. The body produces ample amounts of cholesterol but what exactly do you need this substance for? It actually serves many important functions such as forming and maintaining cellular membranes assisting in the formation of sex hormones or androgen’s producing bile salts and producing vitamin D to name a few.

If cholesterol serves such important purposes then why are so many people so concerned about having too much of it? Unfortunately the adage “more is better” is not true when it comes to cholesterol. Having too much of it can cause a plethora of cardiac symptoms diseases and conditions. It has been linked to chest pains heart attacks strokes atherosclerosis peripheral vascular diseases and many more. It is important that cholesterol is properly controlled and maintained at normal levels. There are various ways to keep your cholesterol levels under control such as dietary modification exercise smoking cessation etc.

Excessive consumption of fatty foods can greatly affect the body’s cholesterol levels. It is important that you read and check labels before buying food items. Labels detail how much fat triglycerides etc. are contained in a serving of a particular food. Trans-fat is an insoluble type of fat that clogs the arteries veins and capillaries over time. Foods containing fat or fat-related substances equal to or more than four milligrams are generally considered harmful to the body and should not be consumed on a daily basis.

Exercise is as important as diet modification. You burn excess fats when there is continuous physical activity for at least 30 minutes each day. Intense cardiovascular workouts like aerobics and running should be done two to three times a week for at least one hour. This builds endurance promotes smooth blood flow strengthens the blood vessels and it burn excess calories and stored fats.

This article was written by Cindy – a professional health blogger who does hcg diet reviews and answers interesting questions such as what is hcg?