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(Voice Over)
Cholesterol.

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You hear the word a lot, 
but what exactly is cholesterol,

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and why should you be concerned about it?

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(Dr. Farkouh)
Cholesterol is a fatty substance

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found among the lipids in the blood stream

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and in cells throughout the body.

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Cholesterol is not inherently bad.

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In fact, cholesterol is 
naturally occurring

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and plays an important role 
in the formation of cell membranes

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and in the manufacturing of hormones.

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But the body only needs 
a small amount of cholesterol

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to carry out most of these functions.

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It is only when the body 
has too much cholesterol

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that it becomes a potential health risk.

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Cholesterol and other fats
cannot dissolve in the blood stream,

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so they need to be transported 
into and out of cells

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by special carriers called lipoproteins.

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Cholesterol is carried by 2 of these,

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Low Density Lipoprotein, known as LDL,

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and High Density Lipoprotein, 
known as HDL.

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When the amount of cholesterol 
in the blood stream increases,

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the body needs to create 
additional lipoproteins.

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LDL cholesterol has become 
known as "the bad cholesterol"

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because when there is 
too much of it in the blood stream,

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it tends to build up in 
the arterial walls, forming plaque.

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This plaque build-up 
clogs and hardens the arteries,

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a condition known as atherosclerosis.

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This can lead to heart attack or stroke.

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HDL Cholesterol has been dubbed 
"the good cholesterol"

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because it seems to actually aid

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in removing cholesterol from the body

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by carrying it away from the arteries

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and back to the liver, 
where it is passed from the body.

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Determining your cholesterol level is easy

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and can be done with a simple blood test.

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The normal level of cholesterol 
for any individual

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depends upon their age, weight, and sex,

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but typically an LDL cholesterol level 
of above 160 milligrams per deciliter

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is considered high.

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Similarly, an HDL cholesterol level 
below 40 milligrams per deciliter

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would usually be considered too low.

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Either high LDL levels or low HDL levels

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can put you at risk for plaque build up.

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The first and easiest way 
to reduce cholesterol

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is to restrict your fat intake.

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High cholesterol is an important factor 
in heart disease and stroke

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and managing your cholesterol is 
an important part of a healthy lifestyle.

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The good news is that there are many 
effective ways to manage high cholesterol,

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as you can see 
from other films in this library.

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However, an important first step 
towards a heart-healthy lifestyle

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should be to see your doctor

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and find out your cholesterol level.

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(Voice Over)
Want to learn more?

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Check out other videos and sources 
on this site for more information.