The cholesterol is actually a fat-like waxy substance produced by the liver from saturated fat in your diet. The cholesterol plays a vital role in many functions of the body such as in building and repairing the hormone cells and producing bile acids. But when the cholesterol level becomes elevated it can be very dangerous as high cholesterol level build-up in the blood causes clogging, which is very much responsible for heart disease and stroke.

Types of Cholesterol

The cholesterol in our body can broadly be divided into two types i.e. HDL or Good Cholesterol and LDL or Bad Cholesterol. The 'HDL' or the good cholesterol is very useful in fighting the risk of heart attack and stroke as they are usually made of more protein than that of triglycerides or cholesterol. The 'LDL' cholesterol or bad cholesterol is mainly responsible in the clogging up the system. Therefore they lead to a much higher risk of different heart disease and stroke.

The benefits of lowering Cholesterol

There is no doubt that lowering LDL cholesterol has huge benefit in bringing the total cholesterol of our body down to a safe level. The main benefits of lowering the LDL cholesterol are as follows:

1) The chances of heart attack and stroke is decreased.

2) The formation of new cholesterol plaques is reduced.

3) The existing plaques are also eliminated.

4) It also prevents the rupture of present plaques

The Different methods of lowering Cholesterol

The different methods of lowering the raised cholesterol in our body are as follows:

Cholesterol Lowering Drugs: There are various drugs which are prescribed by the physicians and are proved to be successful in lowering cholesterol level.

Natural and Herbal Supplements: There are several natural and herbal supplements such as Policosanol, Guggul, Curcumin, Pantethine, Garlic, Fish-Oil, Niacin, Beta Carotene, etc. are very effective in managing the high cholesterol level and helps in reducing the risk of heart disease.

Cholesterol Lowering Foods: Whole-grain breads, cereals, rice, beans, avocados, almonds, olive oil, soybeans, garlic, mushrooms, oat bran, onions can lower your LDL cholesterol in a short span of time. Foods high in fiber like leafy vegetables and fruits with low cholesterol are ideal for daily meals.

Regular Doctor's check up: The best course of action for lowering our cholesterol level is to do regular check up by the physician.