
Protect your heart and other organs on a Cholesterol Diet		Cholesterol Diet

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Protect your heart and other organs on a Cholesterol Diet

On a Cholesterol Diet you control Fat which is a major energy source for the body. However, it is not the body's only source of energy, and too much fat in the diet can be harmful. It is especially bad for the circulatory system because it raises blood cholesterol levels that can contribute to heart attack or stroke. The Cholesterol diet is designed to reduce fat and cholesterol to levels recommended by the National Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP). NCEP is made up of 40 private and governmental groups coordinated by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.

The heart pumps blood through blood vessels called arteries, this blood carries vital oxygen and nutrients needed by tissues and organs throughout the body. The heart itself is supplied with blood vessels called coronary arteries. When cholesterol levels rise above normal limits and stay high, some cholesterol is left behind in the arteries, and a cholesterol diet can help this. Over the years, a hardened, waxy substance called cholesterol plaque builds up on the artery walls, and reduces or blocks blood flow. Organs supplied by these arteries then become damaged because they cannot get the oxygen and nutrients they need. For example, when blood flow to the brain is blocked, a stroke occurs. When plaque completely blocks a coronary artery, a heart attack takes place.

A Cholesterol Diet helps control Cholesterol in the body which comes from two sources. Most cholesterol is made by the liver from various nutrients and especially from saturated fats. The liver makes just about all the cholesterol the body will ever need. Saturated fats are found mainly in meats and dairy products made with whole milk. Unsaturated fats (polyunsaturated and monounsaturated) are found mostly in plants, and are less likely to raise blood cholesterol levels.

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