You hear about cholesterol all the time. But what is it? And why is it bad for you? Learn more with the help of Healthyroads!

Cholesterol is a fatty substance that is made by the body. It comes from eating too many fatty foods. Cholesterol is made in the liver and is also found in animal-based foods you eat. Plant-based foods do not have cholesterol.

You need some cholesterol to help build cells, produce hormones, and support nerve function. Cholesterol is a problem only when levels in the blood get too high. Then the cholesterol starts to form waxy plaque. This can clog your arteries and cause heart disease.

Regularly scheduled cholesterol tests should be done starting at age 35 for men and age 45 for women (a doctor may ask for a baseline reading for teens and younger adults). You may see 4 terms in the results of a blood test for cholesterol:

Y LDL (low density lipoprotein, or “bad” cholesterol)

Y HDL (high density lipoprotein, or “good” cholesterol)

Y Total cholesterol

Y Triglycerides (a fat-like wax in the blood)

Too much bad cholesterol can block your arteries. Good cholesterol picks up bad cholesterol from your cells and bloodstream. It goes back to the liver to be broken down.

People with high triglycerides often have a high total cholesterol level. This includes high LDL (bad) cholesterol and low HDL (good) cholesterol levels.

If your cholesterol is too high, you may want to try some of these tips to help lower it:

Y Follow a healthy diet: A healthy diet can help control your cholesterol. And this may help prevent heart disease. Try to eat no more than 300 milligrams of cholesterol per day. Stay away from saturated fats and trans fatty acids. Saturated fats come mainly from animal sources. Trans fatty acids are usually found only in processed foods. Instead, try to eat foods that contain unsaturated fats. Unsaturated fats come mainly from plant sources.

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At what age should men begin testing their cholesterol level? ____Women? ____

True or False: Secondhand smoke can increase cholesterol levels? ___________

What organ in your body breaks down cholesterol and sends it back into your bloodstream? ___________

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Healthyroads Heart Activity: Where on Healthyroads.com can you track your cholesterol levels daily? _____________________________

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Y Manage your weight: Try to stay at a healthy weight. Eat a balanced diet and stay active. Being overweight can lead to high cholesterol levels. Dropping just 5-10% of your body weight may help lower LDL (bad) cholesterol. If you also exercise, weight loss may even help raise HDL (good) cholesterol.

YExercise regularly: Regular exercise can help keep cholesterol levels normal. And it can reduce your blood pressure, stress levels, and help maintain a healthy weight.

YQuit smoking and avoid secondhand smoke: If you smoke, you may want to think about quitting. It would improve your overall health. Quitting will also lower your risk of heart disease. And it may help raise your HDL (good) cholesterol level. You should also avoid secondhand smoke as much as you can.

Secondhand smoke causes an estimated 46,000 premature deaths from heart disease each year in the United States among nonsmokers.

Nonsmokers who are exposed to secondhand smoke at home or at work increase their risk of developing heart disease by 25–30 percent.

Source: Healthyroads.com