Bad Cholesterol vs. Good Cholesterol

In order to find out your cholesterol level which can lead to
heart disease if not corrected, you need to get a blood test
known as a cholesterol test. You need to fast for 9-12 hours
prior to having your blood sample drawn and sent to the lab
for testing.

LDL (bad cholesterol) is the type of cholesterol which builds
up in the walls of arteries and can clog blood vessels.

HDL (good cholesterol) carries cholesterol away from the walls
of arteries.

The risk factors for Heart Disease are:

• smoking cigarettes
• high blood pressure (140/90 or higher or taking medicine to lower blood pressure
• low hdl cholesterol (HDL-C) level (less than 40 mg/dl)
• Family history of early heart disease (father or brother had heart disease before age 55, or mother or sister had heart disease before age 65)
• Age (you are a man 45 years or older, or you are a woman 55 years or older)

I am a 44 year old female and was at risk, so these are simply guidelines above. The way it has been described to me is that the bad cholesterol is similiar to the placque you find on your teeth. I've read that oatmeal, because of it's sticky texture, grabs the cholesterol on the way out of your body. Here's an article which talks more about what happens when oatmeal travels through your body. But the key or trick is to eat it EVERY DAY!!

Check out Web MD too