Another Reason to Watch Your Cholesterol

I struggle with high cholesterol. Want the number? The last test revealed 254 total. Now the world knows. I’ve wondered  how seriously to take that. I don’t have any other risk factors for heart disease.

Sometimes I just eat a burger anyway. I know that doesn’t help. I also have trouble getting in enough exercise during the hot summer months. My preferred exercise is walking outside on nature trails, but I put up with treadmills a few months of the year.

So, when I read at CNN about a new study tying higher cholesterol with a greater risk of developing dementia later in life, I took interest. Maybe this threat will finally motivate me. The study from Kaiser Permanente states that those as young as 40 are at increased risk for developing vascular dementia or Alzheimer’s disease if they have borderline or high cholesterol levels. I’m only 35, but hoping I won’t still have high cholesterol at 40.

The study wasn’t small: It was made up of 10,000 people followed for four decades with beginning ages of participants between 40 and 45. Read the article discussing the research at CNN: Cholesterol levels tied to increased risk for dementia.

Are you concerned about your cholesterol levels?

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