People with high cholesterol levels have many more health problems than those with normal readings. But you can lower the amount of cholesterol in your blood, and lower your chances of having a heart attack or a stroke.
What is cholesterol?
Cholesterol levels
Making changes
What is cholesterol?
Cholesterol is found in the body cells of all animals, including humans. When you eat meat, eggs, and dairy products—any food that comes from an animal—you are adding cholesterol to your blood.
There are two basic kinds of cholesterol: LDL (low-density lipoprotein, or "bad cholesterol,") and HDL (high-density lipoprotein, or "good cholesterol"). LDL cholesterol builds up in the inner walls of the arteries that carry blood to your heart and brain. This narrowing of the arteries is called arteriosclerosis, and can cause angina, heart attack, stroke, and other health problems.
A high level of HDL cholesterol may protect against heart attack by carrying cholesterol away from the arteries and to the liver.
Cholesterol levels
Blood cholesterol tests tell how much lipid or fat is in your blood. A total cholesterol level test measures both your LDL and HDL levels in milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL).
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Normal total cholesterol levels are below 200 mg/dL |
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You should try to lower a level that falls between 200 mg/dL and 239 mg/dL |
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A level above 240 mg/dL is a call for immediate action. Almost 20 percent of people in the United States have total blood cholesterol levels above 240 mg/dL. |
Making changes
To reduce cholesterol in your blood:
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Follow a healthful diet, eating foods low in saturated fat |
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Maintain a healthful weight |
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Take cholesterol-lowering medication, if prescribed by a doctor |
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Exercise at least three times a week, for 30 minutes at a stretch |
Have your total cholesterol rechecked in one to two years if:
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Your cholesterol reading was above 240 mg/dL |
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You have other risk factors for heart disease, such as high blood pressure, diabetes, or being overweight |
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