Cholesterol is a type of fat that travels through your bloodstream. When cholesterol is combined with proteins, it forms a lipoprotein. There are two main types of cholesterol. They are known as high-density lipoprotein (HDL) or “good cholesterol” and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) or “bad cholesterol”. HDL is known as “good cholesterol” because it picks up cholesterol and takes it back to the liver where it is broken down and removed from the body. LDL which is known as “bad cholesterol” carries cholesterol from your liver to your bloodstream. Here, it can stick to the walls of your arteries, causing them to clog. This can lead to narrowed or blocked arteries where the blood is not able to reach your heart, brain, or other organs. If you have a high level of LDL and a lower level of HDL, you may be at risk for heart disease. If you are in need of a holistic cardiologist on Long Island, contact our team today at Integrative Cardiology Center of Long Island.

Cholesterol and Heart Disease

Your liver produces all the cholesterol you need, however, you can also get cholesterol from the food you eat day to day. It is recommended to have a low dietary cholesterol intake to reduce the risk of heart disease. Researchers found that saturated fats and trans fats play a significant role in the development of heart disease. One must have healthy eating patterns and consume foods like fruits, vegetables, and whole grains to keep a low level of LDL and raise HDL cholesterol in the body. The risk of heart disease could be reduced by substituting in foods with better fat-quality alternatives for the foods already being consumed with high saturated fat and trans fat.

Does Cholesterol Cause Heart Disease?

Over the years we have become increasingly adept in finding new and useful information dealing with heart disease. For a long time, cholesterol has been dubbed the main cause of heart disease, but that viewpoint might be changing. Here’s what we know about cholesterol:

  • Cholesterol is a waxy, fatty substance. It can be found in all of the cells in your body.
  • Cholesterol plays a key role in our digestive process, by providing substances that help with digesting food also, it used to make certain hormones.
  • Cholesterol is either produced by the body naturally or comes from foods we consume.

What is the effect of too much Cholesterol?

The most potent effect of having high levels of cholesterol is plaque buildup. Cholesterol causes arteries to be blocked up or narrowed which prevents blood from reaching your heart, brain, or other organs. This can lead to a heart attack, heart failure or a stroke. If you are looking for a holistic cardiologist on Long Island that can help, our team at ICCLI could be the right fit for you. At our practice, we provide The FIT in Your GENES® Holistic Heart Health program that is designed for patients with cardiac risk factors. It aims to achieve stabilization of heart disease, by reducing the risk of a first or subsequent cardiac or vascular event, and normalize blood pressure, hormone levels, glucose, and cholesterol. If this approach is of interest to you, contact our holistic cardiologist on Long Island today.