Cholesterol

High Blood Cholesterol

Cholesterol is a natural substance found in all living tissue, but when you have high cholesterol it can be dangerous. When there is too much cholesterol in your blood it can build up in the walls of your arteries. Over time this build up causes the arteries to narrow and blood flow can become slowed or even blocked.

While it is desirable to have a total cholesterol level below 200mg/dL, almost 100 million American adults have total blood cholesterols at or above 200mg/dL.

Regular exercise and a healthy diet low in fat can help prevent high blood cholesterol. If you already have high cholesterol, a low-fat diet and regular exercise can lower your cholesterol. Your health care provider may also ask you to take medications to lower your cholesterol.