September is national cholesterol month. It highlights a common contributor to the leading causes of death in the United States which are heart disease and stroke. About 38% of adults have high cholesterol. This means their level is over 200 mg/dl. To know if you have it, you need to be tested. Talk to your provider about your risk factors, which may include: 

• Being overweight
• Sedentary lifestyle
• Smoking 
• Aging
• Family history of high cholesterol 

Cholesterol is a fat-like substance in our blood. Cholesterol is not bad in and of itself. It is important for certain bodily functions. Our livers should make enough cholesterol for our body’s needs.

Foods high in saturated and trans-fat (like red meat, full-fat dairy products, and tropical oils) contribute to high cholesterol. They cause your liver to make more cholesterol than you need. Extra cholesterol builds up on the inside of the blood vessels (like arteries), making them narrow. This makes it harder to move blood throughout your body. When it’s severe, you can have a heart attack or a stroke depending on where that artery is in the body.

There is not one type of cholesterol. The measure of all the cholesterol in your body is called “total cholesterol.” It includes “low-density lipoprotein” (LDL) cholesterol. If LDL-cholesterol is high, you are at greater risk of heart disease or stroke. It also includes “high-density” (HDL) lipoprotein. HDL-cholesterol protects you against heart disease and strokes.

Total Cholesterol                                                             Triglycerides
Goal: less than 200 mg/dL                                       Goal: less than 150 mg/dL 

Low– Density Lipoprotein                                          High-Density Lipoprotein
LDL (“bad” cholesterol)                                                HDL (“good” cholesterol)
Goal: lower than 100 mg/dL                                 Goal: greater than 60 mg/dL 

Treatments aim to lower LDL-cholesterol. A diet low in saturated and trans-fat is part of a cholesterol-lowering strategy. Regular exercise is beneficial. If lifestyle and diet changes cannot reduce your LDL-cholesterol, medication is used. There are several statin medications that target reducing the LDL-cholesterol. Resin medications absorb the fats from food you eat to reduce your cholesterol. Other medications include niacin and fibrates. 

If you have a family history of heart disease or strokes, let your provider know. Together you can determine the best path for you!

References 
https://meridienresearch.net/september-national-cholesterol-education-month/ 
https://www.cdc.gov/cholesterol/index.htm