Here’s a question I was recently asked:
How does high cholesterol affect your cardiovascular system?
Let me see if I can explain and keep the process easy to understand!
Cholesterol does not necessarily need to be elevated for this process to take place.
First the endothelium (thin inner lining of your blood vessels) becomes damaged and inflamed. This damage can be caused by a variety of factors, such as high blood pressure, high stress level, poor diet, toxic chemicals and metals, tobacco smoke, etc.
What is the endothelium?
The thin layer of cells lining the inside of your blood vessels. When it’s healthy, it helps regulate blood flow and keeps the vessel wall smooth. When it’s damaged and inflamed, it becomes the starting point for plaque buildup.