Cholesterol is a biochemical substance that the body needs to function; in fact, it is essential for life. We need cholesterol to form cell membranes, many hormones, and bile acids (which digest fat). Without cholesterol, we couldn't live. But, as is so often the case, too much cholesterol can do harm.

When we have high levels of cholesterol in blood, we're at higher risk of heart disease - and the higher these levels, the greater the risk. Heart disease is currently the leading cause of deaths in many countries. However, eating in a heart-healthy way, being physically active, and losing weight (if a person is overweight) are things everyone can do to lower their cholesterol levels and their risk.

Why should one type of cholesterol be "good", putting people at lower risk for heart disease, and another "bad"? Because low-density lipoprotein is the main "carrier" of cholesterol to body tissues, and high-density lipoprotein "carries" cholesterol away from body tissues. When people have a lot of LDL-cholesterol in the bloodstream, there is a greater danger that too much may be carried to artery walls, which may then become be damaged. The arteries may develop a cholesterol and fatty buildup on the inside, called atherosclerosis or "hardening of the arteries".

Cholesterol buildup prevents adequate amounts of blood from flowing to the heart, and may lead to complete blockage of an artery. It is the most common cause of heart disease, and it happens so slowly that people are not even aware of it. The higher the LDL-cholesterol, the greater the chance of this buildup.

When people have higher levels of HDL-cholesterol in blood, it means that more high-density lipoproteins are carrying cholesterol away from arterial walls and to the liver. The liver then breaks the cholesterol molecules down, in preparation for their elimination from the body. Clearly, the more this happens, the less likely cholesterol is to come in contact with arterial walls and worsen the progression of atherosclerosis.

First aid measures for a seizure depend on the type and severity of the seizure. Protecting the person from injury is a primary concern, especially during a grand mal seizure, when consciousness may be altered. The person should be removed from danger or nearby hazards like moving objects, water, and electricity. The person's head should be protected from injury by providing a cushion against the ground. If possible, the person should be turned onto their side so that the secretions from their mouth are able to better drain.

Attempts should not be made to pry open and insert something into the mouth of a person who is having a seizure. These efforts are more likely to cause harm than do any good. The person should be accompanied following the seizure, until their mental alertness returns. There is usually a period of confusion after a grand mal seizure and the person may not be aware of their surroundings. If the seizures continue, one after the other, it is best to call on a doctor immediately.

Treatment for epilepsy can include medication, surgery, diet restriction, or a new type of therapy called vagus nerve stimulation. Of all available treatments, medications known as anticonvulsants remain the most commonly prescribed therapy for seizures. Several different types of seizure medication are now available. At times, more than one medication will be needed to adequately control the seizures. Most anticonvulsant meditations must remain at a certain level within the bloodstream to be effective. Once a medication is found to be successful in controlling seizures, it must be closely monitored by blood tests, to ensure that the correct amount of medication remains in the blood at all times.

Surgery to treat seizures may be necessary when anticonvulsant drugs fail. If the seizures are confined to a small segment of the brain, sometimes by removing those pieces of brain tissue, seizure activity can be controlled.

In addition to the therapies mentioned, a person with epilepsy can often help to control his or her seizures by getting enough sleep, avoiding unwanted stress, and having regular medical checkups by a physician. In some people, seizure disorders may resolve spontaneously. In spite of all the treatments now available to treat epilepsy, an estimated 20% of people with epilepsy are unable to gain complete control over their seizures.

When people are told to keep the cholesterol levels at a healthy level to minimize the risk of heart disease as much as possible, of course, they should always follow the doctor's specific recommendations as a first priority. But overall, what kind of lifestyle habits will help to achieve these goals have been mentioned below.

Choosing foods that are low in saturated fat

Saturated fat will boost the cholesterol level more than anything else in the diet, so people should definitely look for ways to cut these foods out of the diet (or cut down on them). Foods from animals are highest in saturated fat, including fatty cuts of meat, chicken or other poultry with skin, whole milk and whole-milk dairy products, lard, and some vegetable oils like coconut oil, and palm oils.

We know all these foods sound delicious! But it isn't too hard to get them out of life, or at least reduce their presence, if we try. People should plan other meals besides those based on "meat and potatoes" - when the meat is a large fatty cut. When people eat meat, they should eat smaller portions, and they also should remove the skin from chicken and other poultry before preparing or eating it.

Foods that are low in saturated fat, and therefore much better choices to decrease the cholesterol, include fruit, vegetables, and whole-grain foods. But it should be remembered that - if the vegetables are doused in a cream- or oil-based sauce, or if the fruit is part of a fatty dessert - this doesn't help.

Choosing foods low in total fat

This will help people avoid foods high in saturated fat, and will also help lose weight, if needed. If people are overweight, losing weight can be an important part of lowering cholesterol levels. People can't (and shouldn't) always avoid eating fat, but when they do, they should try to substitute unsaturated fats for saturated fats. Unsaturated fats are usually liquid at room temperature, and come in two types: monounsaturated and polyunsaturated.

Foods high in polyunsaturated fats include sunflower, corn, and soybean oils. Examples of foods high in monosaturated fats is olive oils.

Choosing foods high in starch and fiber

Fruits, vegetables, and grain products are the foods that people should be casting a culinary eye on.

Choosing foods low in cholesterol

Foods high in cholesterol can increase blood levels of cholesterol, though saturated fats will raise these levels even more. Cholesterol is only present in foods from animals. Plants and foods from plant sources don't contain cholesterol, though they sometimes have saturated fat. People should try to cut down on the animal foods they eat, while replacing them with healthy, appropriate plant-based foods.

Being more physically active

Physical activity can increase HDL-cholesterol (the good kind) and decrease LDL-cholesterol (the bad kind). This is good for reducing the risk of heart disease. Besides this direct benefit, physical activity can help by lowering blood pressure (if it's too high), reducing stress, and improving the overall fitness, including that of heart and blood vessels.

Losing weight - if people are overweight

Being overweight means that people probably have higher blood levels of cholesterol than otherwise would - thus placing them at higher risk for heart disease. And if they have an "apple" shape (gaining more weight in belly than in hips and thighs), they're at higher risk than overweight people with a "pear" shape (more weight in hips and thighs).

If people are overweight, losing even a little weight can help reduce LDL-cholesterol and increase HDL-cholesterol.

Cholesterol-lowering drugs

A study published in the New England Journal of Medicine September 1998 issue, states that heart disease deaths have declined steadily over the last 30 years. In fact, the report states that between 1990 and 1994, heart disease deaths decreased by 10.3%. From this study and others, it appears that this downward trend can be attributed to improvements in medical care after heart attack, a reduction in the number of repeat heart attacks, better prevention of heart disease, and the discovery/development of a relatively new class of drugs known as statins. These powerful medications have provided doctors with an arsenal of therapies to lower elevated blood cholesterol levels, often dramatically, when diet and exercise have failed. To date, FDA has approved six statin drugs: atorvastatin, lovastatin, fluvastatin, pravastatin, simvastatin and cervastatin.

However, cervastatin was voluntarily withdrawn from the market by its manufacturer, Bayer Pharmaceutical, because of reports of patient deaths. The deaths were attributed to an unusual condition called rhabdomyolysis (rhab-doe-my-olysis), in which muscle tissue breaks down. The condition, which can occur taking any statin, is rare. It can, however, lead to kidney failure and other problems.