Lower cholesterol and blood pressure target levels may help adults with type 2 diabetes to prevent or even reverse hardening of their arteries, according to new research. The higher the HDL cholesterol levels , presumably, the more cholesterol is being removed from where it might otherwise cause damage. Cholesterol is found in the structure of all cells in the body. High cholesterol contributes to a higher risk of cardiovascular diseases, such as heart disease and stroke. Your body produces cholesterol naturally, and the rest comes from the food you eat. So the cholesterol present in HDL is, to a large extent, excess cholesterol that has just been removed from cells and blood vessel walls and is being transported back to the liver for recycling. Although our bodies are capable of producing so much cholesterol on its own, it is still very important to obtain cholesterol from dietary sources. Good and Bad Cholesteral Cholesterol is divided into a “good” and “bad” portion. There are many reasons why some people have low HDL and others have high HDL. Bad cholesterol, LDL, often deposits cholesterol in blood vessels. Cholesterol is publicized as an antonym to health. Diet plays an important role in determining your cholesterol levels Regular exercise can help in regulating cholesterol levels The heart is an essential organ of the human body. Genes appear to play the most important role by determining how much HDL cholesterol your body makes and the proportion of different subtypes. As the amount of cholesterol in your blood increases, so does the risk to your health. This is because cholesterol production in the body an extremely complex process, and places burden on the liver ( 2 ). However, it is a necessary nutrient for body function. Learn more about how health systems can address stroke risk factors and improve the quality of stroke care to reduce stroke deaths. Why cholesterol matters. Controlling your blood pressure, managing cholesterol and diabetes, and quitting smoking are important steps to reducing your risk. The most important thing your doctor will keep in mind when thinking about statin treatment is your long-term risk of a heart attack or stroke. Lifestyle choices also affect HDL levels. An estimated 21 million Americans have diabetes and 284,000 die from it each year, with 65% percent of these deaths related to cardiovascular causes. What causes low HDL cholesterol? Cholesterol testing is very important if you: have a family history of high cholesterol or heart disease; are overweight or obese; drink alcohol frequently If your risk is very low, you probably won't need a statin, unless your LDL is above 190 mg/dL (4.92 mmol/L). Lowering your cholesterol is important; increased cholesterol levels lead to a higher risk of heart attacks and strokes. That’s why it’s important to have your cholesterol tested, so you can know your levels. 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