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Low density lipoproteins, commonly know as "bad" LDL, can penetrate and gather against the inner walls of our arteries, under certain conditions, forming fatty streaks and plaque. Due to the busy lifestyles of two income households, the demand for quick and easy microwaveable food, fast food and snack foods have increased drastically. Also, many children are substituting soda and vending machine snacks for school lunches.

A patient suffering from the Coronary Artery Disease has arteries which grow both narrow and hard. As a result the heart does not get the required amount of blood. Saturated fats are one of the villains when it comes to the bad fat part of the formula and this type of fat is commonly found in almost all foods. Unsaturated fats are far less harmful. A diet high in fats has been recognized as a primary villain and risk factor in cardiovascular disease.

LDL cholesterol, the so-called "bad" cholesterol, is transported to sites throughout the body, where it's used to repair cell membranes or to make hormones. LDL cholesterol can accumulate in the walls of your arteries. HDL cholesterol, the so-called "good" cholesterol, transports cholesterol to the liver, where it's altered and removed from the body. There is good reason for their large size. Unlike their smaller cousin, which easily passes through blood vessel walls, the LDL and VLDL versions of cholesterol are meant to take a different pathway; they leave the blood stream in the liver.

Heart problems were almost non-existent in most Asian countries where the typical diet consisted mainly of fish, vegetables, rice and other foods low in saturated fat. Tragically, as these countries have become industrialized and traditional diets are being replaced with Western diets, there has been an alarming rise of coronary heart disease. Unfortunately, most of these types of foods are high in salt, sugar, fat or calories and have low nutrient content.

Hardening of the arteries (atherosclerosis), which is frequently involved in heart disease, can also affect the arteries that supply blood to the penis, thereby reducing the blood supply to it and leading to erectile dysfunction. Smoking makes this worse, and quitting smoking should always be a priority. Heart disease is a silent killer that gives little or no warning just as Cancer.

We consciously avoid some fat-rich food, like butter in order to avoid heart disease. However, this notion is grossly incorrect. There are fats that are protective and fats that are shown to increase risk. HDL cholesterol, the so-called "good" cholesterol, transports cholesterol to the liver, where it's altered and removed from the body.

Reduce the amount of red meat in your diet. Red meat is high in artery-clogging saturated fat. It is best to stick to a red meat free diet which includes healthier protein options like chicken, fish, egg whites, tofu and beans. Cholesterol can turn bad in your blood if you have a very poor diet and this causes the formation of plaques in the walls of the blood vessels leading to heart problems and bypass surgery in some cases. Its the build up of LDL cholesterol as mentioned above.

Heredity plays a very important in determining your chances of having a heart problem. Children's whose parents suffer from heart disease are more likely to be affected by this disease if proper care is not taken. Heart disease results from any abnormality of the heart. While heart disease can result in heart failure, it can be present and never lead to heart failure at all. Murmurs can be associated with heart disease that may be minor or serious in nature.

The Mediterranean Diet involves the use of only a limited amount of dairy products -- including very few eggs. When it comes to the inclusion of dairy products, for the most part non-fat or very low fat products are utilized. Remember your body can produce cholesterol even if you think you could avoid cholesterol containing food.