Cholesterol is a waxy, fat-like substance that is found in all cells of the body. Your body needs some cholesterol to work the right way. However, blood is watery, and cholesterol is fatty.

Your blood cholesterol level has a lot to do with your chances of getting heart disease. High blood cholesterol is one of the major risk factors for heart disease. A risk factor is a condition that increases your chance of getting a disease. The higher your cholesterol level, the greater your risk of developing heart disease or developing heart attack.

When there is too much cholesterol in your blood, it builds up in the walls of your arteries. Over time, this build up, causes the hardening of the arteries so that the arteries become narrowed and blood flow to the heart slows down or is blocked. The blood carries oxygen to the heart, and if enough blood and oxygen cannot reach your heart, you may suffer chest pain. If the blood supply to a portion of the heart is completely cut off by a blockage, the result is a heart attack.

High cholesterol level is associated with 3 risk factors:

1. LIFE STYLE RISK FACTORS:these includes, unhealthy diet, lack of exercise and physical activity, obesity, smoking and excessive intake of alcohol.
2. Treatable risk factors: such as hypertension, Diabetes, and other medical conditions, such as kidney and liver diseases.
3. Fixed risk factors: Family history of heart disease, age, early menopause in women and ethnic group.
In early diagnosis, high cholesterol level can be treated with diet especially foods with low saturated fats. Cholesterol- lowering medication such as asprin, statins, and and niacin can be applied depending on the severity.

Here are a few tips on how to prevent this adverse medical condition:
i. Eating a healthy, balanced diet: Eat foods such as oily fish, avocado, nuts and seeds, olive oil and vegetable oil, these are low in saturated fat.
ii. Lose weight: This will help reduce your cholesterol level
iii. Exercise:This should be carried out regularly.
iv. Blood test: Carry out a blood test if you have family history of cholesterol problems