Unfortunately, there are usually no symptoms to reveal that you’re getting high cholesterol. That’s the scary part, not knowing. You will not even know you have high cholesterol unless you go to a doctor and have it checked.

When symptoms do reveal themselves, it may be too late because the symptoms are usually angina, a heart attack or a stroke resulting from the plaque that has built up in your arteries. That’s why it’s so important to go to your doctor regularly and have your cholesterol levels checked. You may need to change your lifestyle and begin taking better care of yourself, or your doctor may put you on medication if your cholesterol levels are severe.

To diagnosis high cholesterol, you’ll need to go to your doctor and get a blood test. To get a reliable reading of your cholesterol, your doctor may ask you to not eat or drink anything for up to twelve hours before you get tested. He may also ask you to avoid exercising for up to twenty-four hours before your test.

If the test is inaccurate he will require you to take a second test. However, you may have to wait a while before taking the second test. There are home tests you can get and check your cholesterol but they may not be as complete and accurate as the one your doctor would give.

There is a new test that’s able to check the cholesterol levels in your skin. This test can also determine your risk of heart disease if you have high levels of cholesterol in your skin. You should start having your cholesterol levels checked by age twenty and have it checked again at least every five years if you have normal cholesterol.

If you’re an adult who has risk factors, you should go and get your cholesterol checked every two years or more often. If your parents have high cholesterol or heart disease, this can also indicate a risk factor for you so you’ll need to have your cholesterol checked more often.

There are things you can do to prevent getting high cholesterol. It’s smart to start getting your cholesterol levels checked when you turn twenty years old and then every five years afterwards if you have normal cholesterol. If your cholesterol is high it should be checked more often.

It’s a good idea to find out what your cholesterol levels and your cholesterol numbers mean. That way you know how serious your cholesterol is and what you’ll need to do to lower your cholesterol.

You can prevent high cholesterol by knowing what foods to eat and by only eating low cholesterol foods. It’s also important to know what foods to buy at the store which can help you lower your cholesterol by studying up on foods that are good for you and are good for lowering your high cholesterol.

Certain food in your diet can help control your cholesterol and you’ll want to add these foods to your diet as much as possible. These are foods such as fresh fruits, fresh vegetables, dried beans, oatmeal, olive oil and fish of different kinds such as salmon, sardines and mackerel. These are just a few of the foods which are low in cholesterol, however, there are many more to choose from for your diet.

Get up and move your body. Physical activities and exercise have been known to greatly reduce your cholesterol. Pick out physical activities you’ll enjoy doing. You can burn calories and loose weight. You can also raise your metabolism by exercising.

Get the rest and relaxation you need because being tired, angry or distressed can raise your cholesterol. Relax more and try to keep from being stressed out. These are all ways which prevent you from getting high cholesterol.

If you have high cholesterol your doctor may want you to take medication to try and bring your cholesterol levels back down. Doctors usually recommend medication for severe cases of high cholesterol. With the proper medication, diet and exercise, you can lower your cholesterol to a safe level. This can also improve your overall physical health. High cholesterol can be prevented by following these methods to help reduce your high cholesterol.