Excuse me Ann, but if you're suggesting I don't do real research becaue I pulled something for convenience sake you're quite mistaken. I'd suggest you go to the Weight Loss Surgery forum and check into my credentials a little if you're curious as to my background. There are quite a few there who know my profession.
What I posted was in no way a personal attack.
Cholesterol - Not the Bad Guy!
by Dr. Heather Fox Ph.D.
Every cell membrane in our body contains cholesterol because cholesterol is what makes our cells waterproof—without cholesterol we could not have a different biochemistry on the inside and the outside of the cell. When cholesterol levels are not adequate, the cell membrane becomes leaky or porous. Cholesterol is the body’s repair substance: scar tissue contains high levels of cholesterol, including scar tissue in the arteries.
Cholesterol is the precursor to vitamin D, necessary for numerous biochemical processes including mineral metabolism. The bile salts, required for the digestion of fat, are made of cholesterol. Those who suffer from low cholesterol often have trouble digesting fats. Cholesterol also functions as a powerful antioxidant, thus protecting us against cancer and aging.
Cholesterol is vital to proper neurological function. It plays a key role in the formation of memory and the uptake of hormones in the brain, including serotonin, the body’s feel-good chemical. When cholesterol levels drop too low, the serotonin receptors cannot work. Cholesterol is the main organic molecule in the brain, constituting over half the dry weight of the cerebral cortex.
The adrenal cortex also produces sex hormones, including testosterone, estrogen and progesterone, out of cholesterol. Low cholesterol can disrupt the production of adrenal hormones and lead to blood sugar problems, edema, mineral deficiencies, chronic inflammation, difficulty in healing, allergies, asthma, reduced libido, infertility and various reproductive problems.
LDL Cholesterol is Vital to Health
Our bodies need normal amounts of LDL cholesterol for cell growth and repair. However, if blood levels of LDL cholesterol are too high, they can cause the gradual buildup of plaque on the walls of our blood vessels. This leads to a condition called atherosclerosis which is the main cause of heart disease and stroke.
Half of all heart attack patients
have normal total cholesterol levels.
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