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The Good & The Bad About Cholesterol and Why You Need a Test

Cholesterol is not a monster. It is a waxy substance needed for smooth body functions. So, you must not do away with cholesterol completely. The importance of cholesterol for the body can be seen by the fact that the human intestines and the liver make around 80 per cent of the cholesterol. The rest is added through the foods we eat.

According to doctors, we cannot blame our intestines and liver for making so much cholesterol. They produce only what is needed by the body. It is our choice of foods that add too much of the cholesterol.

Arlington family healthcare urgent care clinic offers cholesterol panel. It is wise to undergo this panel once a year (if you are healthy) and more frequently (if you have heart disease, hypertension, and weight issues).

The panel gives you an idea of where you stand in the cholesterol front.

Do you need to make changes in your diet?

Do you need to decrease LDL (bad cholesterol) or increase HDL (good cholesterol)?

Important functions of cholesterol in the body

• Repairs tissue and builds new tissue
• Helps the liver create bile
• Assists in the secretion of steroid hormones, which includes estrogen
• Helps the body synthesize Vitamin D

Too little cholesterol in the body can affect these functions, which are vital for maintenance of health.

A hormone panel can help you decipher the condition of cholesterol level in the body and take necessary measurements to balance it. Family medical walk in clinic in Arlington is a convenient place to undergo hormone test. It requires no prior appointment and takes only a few minutes for the test. You can also consult a doctor in the clinic.

Why is LDL bad?

Low Density Lipoprotein or LDL is bad because it can lead to plaque buildup in the arteries. This can harden them and block them, leading to a condition called atherosclerosis. It can cause heart attack.

Why is HDL good?

High Density Lipoprotein or HDL is good because it helps to decrease the level of LDL in the body by transferring LDL back to the liver. Here, it is broken down and eliminated from the body. But not all LDL is removed by this process. That’s why it is important to have low levels of LDL and high levels of HDL (within a range of course).

Triglycerides

Triglycerides is a common type of fat derived from food. It is the extra fat that the body stores.

According to doctors at the Arlington family healthcare urgent care clinic, low level of HDL, combined with high level of LDL and high level of triglycerides, is linked to plague buildup in arteries and the increase in the risk of heart attack or stroke.

This calls for the need to have a diet low in fat and the need for a regular workout regime that helps you burn the extra fat.

The fact that our body does not need much of cholesterol, as it produces cholesterol on its own, removes the need for supplying this substance from food. Also, when you keep moving your body, all its systems fall into place and there is no question of fat accumulation and other such complications.

If you have never tested yourselves for cholesterol, you must do it today. Do not wait for symptoms, as plague buildup hardly gives any outer sign. Arlington family healthcare urgent care clinic offers cholesterol panel at a cost-effective rate. It also offers self-pay facility and VIP care. This family clinic is easily accessible and equipped with a sophisticated lab. You can walk in and ask for a test.

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