THE MODERN WESTERN DIET means nearly all of us have higher blood cholesterol than we should, a problem that is compounded by that particularly festive combination of sitting around doing very little and eating far too much of all the wrong sorts of food (those high in saturated fats). The result? We put on weight, we become less fit, and our arteries start to fur up… Sorry to dampen the post-festive mood!
For good heart health, your cholesterol level should be below 5mmol/L (that’s millimoles per litre, or 200mg/dl; see The facts and figures) and, in general, the lower your level, the better for your long-term heart health. If you’re worried you may have overdone it over Christmas and need to get back on track, here’s what you need to know.