High Cholesterol, is the presence of high levels of cholesterol in the blood. It is not a disease but is a metabolic derangement that can be secondary to many diseases. Most common relationship of high cholesterol is it can contribute to cardiovascular disease.

High cholesterol can be brought on by the many types of foods we eat and can also be from family history. Saturated fat in our diets can contribute to an increase in our blood cholesterol levels.

Being overweight is a definite risk for heart disease. It also tends to increase cholesterol levels.

When blood tests are done to evaluate ones cholesterol it is important that one is fasting for 10-12 hours. Eating prior to the blood test can inflate the test results.

Many look at not only the total cholesterol but also the break down of HDL (good Cholesterol) and LDL  (bad cholesterol).

Diet and exercise can help reduce cholesterol levels but sometimes the levels are very high that diet and exercise alone aren't  enough.