Before we tell you exactly what Cholesterol is, let’s begin by saying that it is absolutely essential for a human being to be healthy. The problem for us as human beings is that once the body contains too much cholesterol, the process of atherosclerosis or heart disease begins. Although cholesterol is vital to human existence, we don’t need all that much of it. Depending upon our individual chemistry and what specific foods we eat, it is very easy to introduce too much Cholesterol into the body.

A chemist would tell you that Cholesterol is found in our bodies in the cell membranes. These membranes transport Cholesterol through the blood plasma in all living animals. Your body requires Cholesterol in its cells for fluidity and membrane permeability. You also need it to participate in manufacturing steroid hormones, and bile acids.

If you have high levels of Cholesterol in your blood, you will probably develop heart disease. How much are we talking about to run into trouble? Look at it this way. Your body synthesizes about 1 mg a day if you weigh 150 pounds. Most people are walking around with total Cholesterol in their bodies of about 35 mg. Through our diets we take in as much as 200 to 300 mg each day. There is compensation in our bodies for this additional Cholesterol that is taken in. The body simply synthesizes less, but there is only 1 mg being manufactured, so there isn’t much to decrease.

Once Cholesterol creates heart disease, there is a steady buildup of the plaque in our heart arteries. The rate of growth of the plaque is different for each of us depending upon our unique body chemistry, and other factors. Unless there is a medical intervention via drugs such as statins, or a change in diet, plus many other factors, the plaque will continue to grow unabated.