The body is created with many types of arteries; each functions to pump blood. The main artery is called the Dorsal Aorta, which branches out into many smaller arteries. Each system of the body has its own arteries responsible for providing oxygen-rich blood.

The way that arteries are constructed is that they are tough on the exterior and soft and smooth on the interior. Each artery has three specific layers compromising of the outer layer, the middle muscular layer, and the inner layer made up of epithelial cells. The middle layer is strong and elastic and helps pump the body's blood while the inner layer is smooth as a way to allow the blood to flow through easily.

As the heart beats, arteries expand as they are filled with blood. Once the heart relaxes, it produces enough force to push the blood through.

Again, when you have high cholesterol, you are put at much higher risk for coronary heart disease. This disease fills the arteries with fatty deposits that act as obstacles. In other words, the artery becomes clogged and the required blood cannot get past these obstacles to adequately reach your heart. Eventually, this lack of blood flow causes what is known as a heart attack.

Some people call this clogging of the arteries "hardening of the arteries." This "hardening" or "narrowing" of the arteries can be caused from all of the factors mentioned in the earlier section. In addition to poor diet and lack of exercise, as we age, this is a normal process.

Because heart disease is the number one killer in the United States, protecting your health by controlling your cholesterol is critical.