High cholesterol is a shock!

Q

For a couple of years, I have been vegan and take healthy living very seriously. I exercise several times a week, barely touch alcohol and have a healthy body mass index. But when I attended a wellness check-up recently, I was shocked to discover my cholesterol level is high. How can this be?

A

It surprises most people to learn that only about 20% of our total cholesterol comes from our diet. The rest is made by the body. We need some cholesterol, but too much can increase the risk of heart disease and stroke. Your GP will assess your risk of this by looking at other factors such as your age, sex and smoking history and will discuss with you what other measures you may need to take.