Cholesterol. Boy, there sure is a lot of noise being made about keeping your cholesterol low. You can see ads for all kinds of drugs all over the TV to help lower your cholesterol. Go to a doctors office and the first thing you see hanging on the wall is a cholesterol chart.

So what exactly IS cholesterol and what's the big deal about it? In this article we'll try to answer some of those common questions.

For starters, all cholesterol is not bad. In fact, it's produced naturally in your liver and it helps with important body functions. It's the bad cholesterol, called LDL (low density lipoprotein) that can really do you in. Get too much of this in your system and it can lead to heart disease. Unfortunately this can be something you inherit from your ancestors, meaning there isn't much you can do about getting it, not that it can't still be controlled. We'll get to that later. The more common cause of high LDL is poor diet, usually one that's high in saturated fats. Add to that lack of exercise and you've got a real problem on your hands.

In 2003 it was estimated that about 50 million men had high cholesterol greater than 200. Oh yes, the numbers. How they come up with these figures isn't important. What is important is that it has been determined that a cholesterol level above 240 is considered high and risky. A person with a level above 240 has twice the risk of heart disease compared with someone who's cholesterol is below 200. The magic number seems to be below 200. That's when you are no longer considered to have high cholesterol. According to the National Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP) you should have your cholesterol checked at least once every five years. All that is needed to do this is a simple blood test.

So what happens when you get high cholesterol? How can you treat it?

Without having to take drugs, which is the last resort, the best way to lower your cholesterol is to change your diet. Eat fewer foods that are high in saturated fats and exercise regularly. The most common foods to avoid are fatty meats, deli, bacon, peanut butter, unless it specifically says it is low in cholesterol and anything coming out of a fast food chain such as fried food and onion rings. Also eating lots of fruits and vegetables will help in lowering cholesterol levels. If you smoke, by quitting, you will lower your cholesterol level. Also drinking alcohol in moderation will help to lower cholesterol levels,

If diet and exercise aren't enough, there are drugs that can help to lower your cholesterol. The most popular of these drugs is Lipitor. What Lipitor does is lower the level of LDL produced by your liver, usually by 39 to 60%.

While cholesterol can be extremely dangerous it is actually one of the easiest things in your body to control between diet and exercise and if need be, with prescription drugs. There is no need for anyone to suffer from heart disease because of high cholesterol. It is an easily treated disease. So see your doctor and get a blood test. If you have high cholesterol speak to him about how you can lower it. You'll be glad you did.