Cholesterol is a waxy substance that’s found in the fats (lipids) in your blood.
When you have high cholesterol, you may develop fatty deposits in your blood vessels.
Eventually, these deposits make it difficult for enough blood to flow through your arteries.
Decreased blood flow to your brain can cause a stroke.
A healthy diet, regular exercise, and sometimes medication can go a long way toward reducing high cholesterol.
High cholesterol has no symptoms.
A blood test is the only way to detect high cholesterol.
Ask your doctor if you should have a cholesterol test.
Recommendations for the age of first screening vary.
Retesting is usually performed every five years.
If your test results aren’t within desirable ranges, your doctor may recommend more frequent measurements.
Cholesterol is carried through your blood, attached to proteins.
This combination of proteins and cholesterol is called a lipoprotein.
Factors beyond your control may play a role, too.
In Canada and many European countries, cholesterol levels are measured in millimoles per liter (mmol/L).
To interpret your test results, use these general guidelines.
Canadian and European guidelines differ slightly from U.S. guidelines.
These conversions are based on U.S. guidelines.
Lifestyle changes such as exercising and eating a healthy diet are the first line of defense against high cholesterol.
The common side effects are muscle pains, stomach pain, constipation, nausea, and diarrhea.
Few natural products have been proven to reduce cholesterol, but some might be helpful.
If you choose to take cholesterol-lowering supplements, remember the importance of a healthy lifestyle.
If your doctor prescribes medication to reduce your cholesterol, take it as directed.
see to it your doctor knows which supplements you’re taking as well.
List your questions from most important to least important in case time runs out.
Your doctor is likely to ask you a number of questions.
Your doctor may ask:
Lifestyle changes are essential to improve your cholesterol level.
To bring your numbers down, lose excess weight, eat healthy foods, and increase your physical activity.
If you smoke, quit.
What you eat has a direct impact on your cholesterol level.
Excess weight contributes to high cholesterol.
Losing even 5 to 10 pounds can help lower total cholesterol levels.
Start by taking an honest look at your eating habits and daily routine.
Consider your challenges to weight lossand ways to overcome them.
Set long-term, sustainable goals.
Regular exercise can help improve your cholesterol levels.
With your doctor’s OK, work up to 30 to 60 minutes of exercise a day.
Take a brisk daily walk.
To maintain your motivation, keep it fun.
Find an exercise buddy or join an exercise group.
And you don’t need to get all 30 to 60 minutes in one exercise session.
If you could squeeze in three to six 10-minute intervals of exercise, you’ll still get some benefits.
Some exercise is much better than no exercise.
If you smoke, stop.
To help prevent high cholesterol, you could:
Updated: 2017-08-15
Publication Date: 2000-07-20
