Your doctor told you at your last appointment that your cholesterol is too high. But what does that mean?

More than 102 million Americans have been diagnosed with high cholesterol, making it a common condition. That’s why our team at AFC Urgent Care Louisville wants to take a few minutes to talk through what high cholesterol is and how you can prevent it.

What Is Cholesterol?

To understand what high cholesterol is, you first need to understand what cholesterol is in the first place. Cholesterol is a waxy substance found in the cells of the body, and it’s not a bad thing.

Cholesterol helps the body make hormones and the enzymes needed to digest foods. In and of itself, it’s not dangerous. But when you have too much cholesterol, it can build up in your blood vessels and block them. This can increase your risk of developing other serious health conditions, including heart disease.

High Cholesterol Risk Factors

• Diet high in saturated fat
• Sedentary lifestyle
• Excess weight
• Smoking
• Diabetes
• Family history of high cholesterol

What Can I Do to Maintain Normal Cholesterol?

When it comes to high cholesterol, many of the risk factors are things you have control over. That means that you can take steps to mitigate them, lowering your overall risk.

Practicing healthy lifestyle habits is your best step toward keeping your cholesterol in a normal, healthy range. One thing to note? The dietary cholesterol listed on packaging plays little role in your actual cholesterol level. So while it’s good to pay attention to, it’s not the biggest factor in your health.

How to Prevent High Cholesterol

• Eat a balanced diet low in saturated fat and excess sodium.
• Limit your alcohol consumption.
• Don’t smoke.
• Get enough quality sleep.
• Exercise at least 30 minutes on most days of the week.
• Find effective ways to manage stress.

Feeling under the weather? Schedule an AFC TeleCare appointment with AFC Urgent Care Louisville to get the care you need from the comfort of home.