High cholesterol is something most people associate with getting older, but you can have high cholesterol at any age. Early detection and treatment in people in their mid-twenties can mean a reduced risk of heart disease and even heart failure later in life.

Do you really need a cholesterol test before you’re 40?

Two recent studies highlighted the potentially life-saving benefits of early cholesterol checks. The first study, published in the health journal, The Lancet, linked “bad” LDL (low-density lipoprotein) cholesterol with a higher long-term risk of heart disease for people under 45. Researchers in this study emphasized the importance of checking your cholesterol levels starting in your mid-twenties so that, if needed, you can take steps to lower it and keep it in check sooner rather than later. The researchers believe treating people under 45 years of age for high levels of “bad” (LDL) cholesterol could prevent one in eight women, and one in four men, from having a heart attack or stroke later in life.

The second article, published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, found that if you had high LDL cholesterol during young adulthood, the risk of developing heart disease later in life was 64 percent higher than people with healthier cholesterol levels.

Are there any warning signs for high cholesterol?

Unlike many health conditions, there’s no easy way to spot symptoms or warning signs that your cholesterol may be high. That’s why it can go undetected until you have a blood test, or in the worst-case scenario, a serious health event like a heart attack.

What triggers high cholesterol?

A poor diet, smoking, not exercising enough and being overweight can all negatively impact your cholesterol levels. Other factors include genetics, having diabetes, getting older and a family history of high cholesterol.

Tips to help manage cholesterol

Curb Discretionary Foods. To help manage cholesterol levels, experts recommend curbing discretionary foods, which includes foods high in sugar, salt, and fat such as cakes, pastries, biscuits, ice-cream and soft drinks.

Increase intake of good fats. Include healthy unsaturated fats from foods like avocados, nuts, seeds, and vegetable oils such as extra virgin olive oil, canola oil and flaxseed oil, to vegetable-based spreads as part of your everyday diet.

More veggies, soy, fiber. Include fiber-rich foods (wholegrains) in your diet every day. Also incorporate soy protein from sources such as soy milk and soy cheese, and increase your intake of fruit and veggies, aiming for five vegetable and two fruit servings each day.

This article was originally published on the website of Adventist Record