National Cholesterol
Education Month

Overview

Do you know what your cholesterol number is? During National Cholesterol Education Month, Vitals aims to raise awareness of the widespread problem of high cholesterol – a condition that affects 17 percent of adults in the US.

Cholesterol is a waxy, fat-like substance that’s present in our blood. A portion of it is produced by our bodies naturally, and some comes from the foods we eat. While cholesterol is necessary for normal body function, having too much bad cholesterol and not enough good cholesterol will increase your risk for heart disease.

Read on to learn more about what an optimal cholesterol number is made up of, how high cholesterol affects your heart, the role diet plays, and ways to lower your cholesterol naturally.