You know what you need to do to keep your cholesterol levels in check and you know that high levels of LDL cholesterol could lead to an increased risk of heart disease. But there are some things you may not know about your cholesterol levels:
1.) Cholesterol is Essentially for Good Health
I bet you didn't know that cholesterol is important for cell function. Cholesterol makes up every cell is our body, so it is vital that we do not rid ourselves of it. However, our bodies do give us all we did by turning fats into cholesterol, so it's important not to overdo it on the high-cholesterol foods like bacon and butter.
2.) Not Everyone with High Cholesterol Will Get Heart Disease
There are other factors besides high LDL cholesterol levels that increase your risk of heart disease, like genetics. It's important to discuss with your doctor your risk levels and to keep your cholesterol down in general to maintain a healthy diet.
3.) Our Cholesterol Naturally Increases As We Get Older
This is especially true for women. It turns out that menopause can increase our cholesterol levels. Usually, men tend to have higher cholesterol levels than women, but around age 60 is when a woman's cholesterol levels tend to change. At age 70 and 80 we see more women than men with high cholesterol levels. The reason behind this could be the lack of estrogen, however it is still unclear.
4.) Cholesterol-Free Foods Can Raise Your Cholesterol
Saturated fats, trans gats and dairy fats all turn into cholesterol once in your body. In fact, when a meal full of trans fats equals 2% of your total meal calories, it will increase your cholesterol by 20%!
5.) You May Not Need to Fast Before Having Your Cholesterol Levels Checked
We've all heard that we must abstain from eating before getting our cholesterol levels checked since a fasting state allows your doctor to compare your numbers more easily. This may not be true according to a study published in the journal of Circulation. According to the study, whether or not participants fasted or not, their LDL levels were still identified and predicted their risk of heart disease. This is because we don't live in a fasting state and these numbers represent the true picture.
Source:
Prevention
5 Things No One Tells You About Your Cholesterol
http://www.prevention.com/health/5-important-facts-about-cholesterol?linkId=12826015