What is a lipid?

A lipid is simply fat or cholesterol.  They are both Lipids.  Fat is found in items such as butter, margarine, and oils but also in many foods high in animal protein.  By the way, only animal products have cholesterol in them. 

HDL?

HDL is short for High Density Lipoprotein.  HDL has the task of carrying cholesterol to the liver so the liver can take up the cholesterol and convert it to Bile salts.  For this reason, HDL is considered the "good" one to have around.  Bile is used in the digestive process to emulsify fats so that they can be digested and used by the body so you can understand why it would be helpful to have a healthy level of HDL around to keep carrying that cholesterol out of the blood.  

LDL?

LDL is short for (You guessed it) low density lipoproteins.  LDL is the one you always hear about being the "Bad" one to have a lot of.  LDL carries cholesterol from the liver to the cells and we certainly do not want too much of that to happen since it leads to deposits on the arterial walls.  These deposits can lead to atherosclerosis, a disease that causes heart attacks and strokes.  Cholesterol builds up on the artery walls much the same way grease can build up in the plumbing of your sink at home.  Over time the buildup becomes so great that blood flow becomes difficult and the pressure begins to build up behind it causing a shutdown of the heart or a stroke.

Does my body make cholesterol?

Yes as a matter of fact, it does.  Your liver is manufacturing cholesterol as you read this page.  Approximately 800-1500 milligrams per day give or take.  The liver can use fragments derived from carbohydrate, protein or fat as the starting material from which to make cholesterol.  Remember the body needs cholesterol to create bile so it is not all bad.  The trick is to try to regulate it so that we only have the cholesterol that we need and can use.

What do I do about Cholesterol?

Cholesterol synthesis depends on the availability of raw materials, the extent of bile production and the presence of regulating hormones such as insulin.  So in a nutshell, eating a low fat (under 30%) diet and spreading our dietary intake over the entire day by eating several small meals.  This helps keep insulin levels down and cholesterol synthesis slows down.