cholesterol test

Apart from exercise there are many other factors that affect blood cholesterol levels, such as diet, body weight, smoking, family history, age and gender. It's true that physical activity helps improve blood cholesterol levels by increasing your HDL (good) cholesterol, maintaining a healthy body weight and improving the overall fitness of your heart. But exercising alone does not guarantee that your cholesterol levels will be ok. It's a good idea to get your cholesterol checked by your doctor, even if you are in good shape.

It's never advisable to stop medication without consulting your doctor. Cholesterol medications only work while you are taking them. Your medication needs to be taken on a daily basis to keep your cholesterol under control. Changes in your lifestyle such as weight loss and exercise may make it possible to lower the dose, but this must be done under the supervision of your doctor.

It may surprise you to know that heart disease is still the number one cause of death in Australian women.¹

While women usually get heart disease 10 years later than men, they do catch up quickly. Female hormones play an important role in decreasing the incidence of blocked arteries, but despite this, heart attacks can still occur. The risk of heart disease increases after the age of 50 for women (and the age of 40 for men). Other factors, such as smoking, high cholesterol and high blood pressure, can also increase a woman's risk of heart disease at an even earlier age.

Anyone can have high cholesterol, regardless of weight. Being overweight is not the only risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Cholesterol levels are affected by many factors, such as your diet, how much cholesterol your body produces and how much it gets rid of, as well as your level of activity and eating habits. So, while maintaining a healthy weight is a good foundation for a healthy lifestyle, it is still worth having your doctor check your cholesterol levels.

Heart disease occurs in both younger and older people. Although it is not common, heart attacks can happen to people who are in their 20s and 30s. Heart attacks in younger people are in some instances thought to be caused by unusually high cholesterol levels that are hereditary.