Holiday Cholesterol Highs & Lows Infographic

Holidays are often full of family fun and laughter, and food - most people do. It's hard to resist the temptation of food, especially when you look at delicious meals everywhere, and we gain weight on average during holidays. A new study had examined the correlation between high cholesterol levels after Christmas and highlights the importance of timing in diagnosing high cholesterol.

Want to know more about how to keep your LDL cholesterol low? The following infographic shows you 4 ways to lower your LDL cholesterol. Click here to edit this infographic.

What is Cholesterol?

Cholesterol is a type of fat that makes up the cell wall, bile and various hormones. Most cholesterol in the body is produced by the liver. We can also get cholesterol from animal sources such as meat, fish, seafood and milk. Because cholesterol does not dissolve in the blood, it binds to a substance called lipoprotein and is carried through the bloodstream to the rest of the body.

The health effects of high cholesterol

If the cholesterol in the blood is too high, it is likely to accumulate on the lining of the blood vessels, making these vessels become narrow, or even occluded. When this happens in the coronary arteries that supply blood to the heart muscle, it can lead to coronary heart disease. Similarly, blood vessels in the brain can be blocked or ruptured due to cholesterol accumulation, causing a stroke that may lead to hemiplegia and even death.