Before you dig into that luscious chocolate cake you might want to stop and think about your cholesterol level. Cholesterol plays a huge role in heart disease - the nation's number one killer. And that piece of chocolate cake is chock full of the kind of cholesterol you don't need. That’s the bad cholesterol. Some cholesterol is necessary for the proper functioning of the human body. That’s the good cholesterol.

Cholesterol is a waxy, fat-like substance found in many foods. A handful would feel like a soft melted candle.  This is the stuff of plaque which clogs the arteries. A high level of the wrong kind of cholesterol is a killer. Cholesterol is also a steroid. Cholesterol is contained in the bloodstream and throughout your body's cells.

Although cholesterol, in high levels, is fatal, the human body does need it for: 1) formation and maintenance of cell membranes 2) formation of sex hormones 3) production of bile salts for digestion and 4) conversion of vitamin D in the skin when exposed to the sun.

The body makes 85% of its cholesterol - all that it needs. The other 15% comes from the foods high in saturated fat and cholesterol, which can increase the levels in your body. This increased dietary cholesterol is what 'plugs' your arteries by forming plaque, which in turn, narrows or block the blood vessels; thus leading to a heart attack or a stroke.

'Good' cholesterol, HDL (high-density lipoprotein) is what we need. 'Bad' cholesterol, LDL, (low-density lipoprotein) is the major cholesterol carrier in the blood. The terms 'good' and 'bad' refer to the type of carrier molecule that transports the cholesterol. These carriers are composed of protein and are needed because fats can't dissolve in the bloodstream. The density refers to the amount of protein in the carrier molecules.

If you fit into one or more of the categories below, your at risk for high cholesterol and heart disease.

1. Foods high in saturated fats (hydrogenated vegetable oils, palm and coconut oils, avocados)
    

2. Foods high in cholesterol (eggs, red meat, lard and shrimp) Note: only foods of animal origin contain cholesterol.
    

3. Age - cholesterol in the blood tends to increase as we age
    

4. Weight - overweight and obese people tend to have higher blood cholesterol levels
    

5. Gender - men tend to have higher LDL and lower HDL especially before age 50. Women tend to have higher LDL levels after the age of 50 (post-menopausal years)
    

6. Genetics - some people are predisposed to high levels of cholesterol and pass this on to their children
    

7. Disease - diabetes can lower HDL and raise triglycerides and quicken the development of atherosclerosis as can high blood pressure and even some medications used to treat it can raise LDL.
    

8. Lifestyle - high levels of stress, cigarette smoking can negatively affect cholesterol levels. But, strenuous exercise can increase HDL and lower LDL.