Know Your Cholesterol Count, and How to Manage It

What You Should Know
Too much cholesterol in your blood, organs and arteries increases your health risks.

Your body automatically makes cholesterol -- a waxy, fatlike substance in the blood. Some people naturally produce more cholesterol than other people. Your liver and other cells in your body make about 75 percent of blood cholesterol.

About 25 percent of our cholesterol comes from the foods we eat. High-fat and high-cholesterol foods add more cholesterol to our blood than we need.

Cholesterol can build up in your arteries. The buildup is called plaque. Plaque can break loose or cause inflammation in blood vessels. A heart artery blocked by plaque can result in a heart attack. Hardened arteries with plaque can also lead to blood clots, high blood pressure, strokes and dementia. Most gallstones are also made of cholesterol.

Outpatient visits to medical providers for high cholesterol grew 300 percent between 1996 and 2006. (Source: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.)

There are two basic types of cholesterol. HDL cholesterol (high- density lipoproteins) is often called "good cholesterol." Scientists think HDL tends to carry cholesterol away from the arteries and back to the liver, where it is passed from the body. HDL seems to counteract LDL cholesterol -- the bad low-density lipoproteins. LDL cholesterol is often called "bad cholesterol" because it clogs arteries. Too much of LDL -- or not enough of HDL -- can put you at higher risk for heart disease or a stroke.

Memory problems and disability after a stroke may be more likely for people with high LDL or low HDL.

Your total cholesterol count is the sum of the measures of the different types of cholesterol. A measure of 240 or more is dangerously high. A third blood substance called triglycerides carries fat around the body. A lower triglyceride level also reduces your risk for heart disease and diabetes.

Exercise and a healthy diet can lower your LDL levels. HDL often improves with the length and intensity of exercise. Regular exercise -- like walking 30 minutes a day -- can have long-term benefits on cholesterol and triglycerides.