Your body needs a small amount of cholesterol for normal functioning to produce needed hormones, vitamin D, and bile acids to help digest fat.  But if you have too much cholesterol in your bloodstream, the excess gets deposited in your arteries causing narrowing and blockages.  When this occurs in the coronary arteries that supply blood to your heart this can lead to coronary heart disease and a heart attack. 

Heart disease is the leading cause of death for Americans—both men and women. 

To help reduce your risk for developing heart disease, it is important to know your cholesterol numbers and take steps to keep your cholesterol at a healthy level.  

Know Your Numbers

Everyone age 20 and older should have his or her blood cholesterol measured at least once every 5 years. It is best to have a blood test called a “lipoprotein profile” that measures your total cholesterol, LDL (“bad”) cholesterol, HDL (“good”) cholesterol, and triglycerides.

Ask your doctor to explain your lipoprotein test results and discuss what they mean for you. 

Steps to Lower Your Cholesterol Levels

• Eat a heart-healthy diet low in saturated fat, trans fat, and cholesterol.
• Eat at least five servings of fruits and vegetables as well as whole-grain products including cereals, breads and pasta every day.
• Eat fish, poultry without skin and leaner cuts of meat instead of fatty ones.
• Get physically active and enjoy 30-60 minutes of vigorous activity per day most days of the week.
• Maintain a healthy weight.
• Do not smoke.

In some cases, these steps are not enough to lower cholesterol levels.  Then your doctor may consider prescribing a cholesterol-lowering medication in addition to these steps.

Sources: “Live Healthier, Live Longer,” National Heart Lung and Blood Institute, http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/chd/ and the American Heart Association, www.americanheart.org.