Nutrition Facts Today

Q. I am a 24-year-old female. I'm a normal weight (5'7", 133 lbs). I work out at least 5 days per week. I avoid all processed food and generally try to fill my days with whole grains, veggies, fruits and non-fat dairy sources. I usually have a small amount of caffeine in the mornings, I don't smoke, and I drink two or three times per month. All in all, I think I lead a pretty healthy lifestyle. However, I went to my doctor last week and was surprised to find that my cholesterol is slightly high (more than 200 mg/dL). I don't have a family history of high cholesterol or heart disease. Is this a common problem in people who lead otherwise healthy lifestyles? I'm hoping to avoid taking prescription meds for the rest of my life. A. I think it's a little soon to be thinking about prescription meds for life!! Given all you've reported here, you may not have anything to worry about. For one thing, high cholesterol does not mean you have (or will develop) heart disease. Although elevated cholesterol is statistically linked to a higher incidence of heart disease, many people who die of heart disease have normal cholesterol...and many people with elevated cholesterol never get heart disease. Cholesterol tests are screening tools, not diagnostic ones.

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High cholesterol no cause for worry?

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