High Cholesterol

Unhealthy cholesterol levels (too much of the "bad" fats in your blood) increase your risk of heart disease by clogging and damaging your arteries. The good news is that many of the factors that affect cholesterol, such as your diet, are within your control. Learn more about HDL and LDL cholesterol, triglycerides and key factors that can keep your cholesterol levels healthy.

The trouble with high cholesterol is that it doesn't have any symptoms. But if left untreated, you could develop life-threatening heart disease. If you have any risk factors, talk to your doctor about getting your cholesterol tested, and understand the results. One-sixth of all Americans have a total cholesterol level above the recommended 240 mg/dL, which doubles their heart disease risk.

If you have unhealthy cholesterol levels (or want to prevent them), one of the first things you should examine is your diet and the combination of foods you eat. Are you eating foods that help reduce cholesterol and avoiding the ones that cause unhealthy cholesterol levels to creep higher?