What is cholesterol?

Answer:
Okay. Put down your butter covered cheeseburger

and read this. Cholesterol is a waxy substance that is both produced by the body and ingested from animal fat in meat, fish, poultry, eggs, and dairy products. Cholesterol travels in the blood stream as either low-density lipoproteins (LDL), the "bad" cholesterol, and high-density lipoproteins, the "good" cholesterol.

When a persons LDL (bad cholesterol) is high, their doctor will usually start them on a treatment program. The first things to consider in such a program are diet and exercise. Lowering ones intake of fatty foods and increasing the amount of exercise can be very effective in lowering cholesterol. If this isn't enough, a cholesterol lowering drug, such as Lipitor, may be prescribed.


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