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Actually, your body needs cholesterol to function. It helps create hormones, Vitamin D and bile acids.

A problem arises when you have too much of the "bad" cholesterol in your system.

When your doctor does a cholesterol panel, it looks at HDLs (good cholesterols) and LDLs (bad cholesterols). LDLs adhere to arterial walls and can lead to blockages. The end result is an increased risk for stroke or heart attack.

While high cholesterol can run in families, most people's cholesterol is high because they consume too many animal products that are high in this bad cholesterol. Think beef, lamb and pork products. Fish is also high in cholesterol, but the fats tend to be unsaturated, and the cholesterol is considered "good."

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12y ago

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