Know the Signs

High cholesterol is symptomless. It is important for adults to schedule an appointment with their doctor and have their HDL and LDL cholesterol levels checked every five years.

Prevention

Eating a healthy diet is one of the most important steps in preventing high cholesterol. Choose foods that are low in saturated fat, low in cholesterol, and high in soluble fiber.

Cholesterol Levels

Cholesterol levels are improved with healthy eating, regular physical activity, a non-smoking lifestyle, weight loss, and maintaining a healthy weight.

Lower Cholesterol

Cholesterol lowering medications may be prescribed by your doctor if your cholesterol levels do not reach healthy levels thru diet and exercise alone.

High Cholesterol

Learning about cholesterol can help you take an active role in the prevention and treatment of the disease and benefit your overall health. The information you find out can help you understand the difference between good and bad cholesterol, how your diet and lifestyle can affect your cholesterol levels, and the health complications of high cholesterol.

What is Cholesterol?

Cholesterol is a soft, fatty substance (lipid) that is found in the body's bloodstream and cells. Some of the cholesterol is made by the body, and some of it comes from food in the diet. The body needs cholesterol in order to function, but it does not need to be part of a healthy diet. The body naturally produces all the cholesterol it needs. Cholesterol is made in the body's liver and gets transported thru the bloodstream to the areas where it is needed for building cells, including the muscles, skin, heart, liver, intestines and the nervous system. It is also used to manufacture hormones, bile acid, and vitamin D.

Good vs. Bad Cholesterol

Cholesterol can be good and bad. The "good" type of cholesterol is HDL (high-density lipoprotein). The "bad" type of cholesterol is LDL (low-density lipoprotein). The danger of cholesterol is having too much bad cholesterol in the bloodstream as it can lead to serious health consequences.

Some of the health complications associated with high cholesterol include:

• Athersclerosis - build-up of fatty deposits on the walls of the arteries
• Coronary Artery Disease - end result of athersclerosis, also known as heart disease
• Heart Attack and Stroke - occurs when a blood clot forms and blocks an artery
• Peripheral Artery Disease - when extremities do not receive enough blood flow

Treatments for High Cholesterol

The primary approach for treating high cholesterol is to adopt a healthier lifestyle. High cholesterol levels can be lowered naturally with healthy eating, regular physical activity, weight maintenance, and smoking cessation. If healthy cholesterol levels cannot be reached thru a healthy lifestyle alone, a doctor may prescribe cholesterol lowering medications.