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Today The Californian held its health fair for employees.

And like most health fairs, this one included several free tests. You have the crack-out-the-calipers body fat test. The slip-this-up-your-arm blood pressure test.

And the it's-just-a-little-prick cholesterol and blood sugar tests.

I thought, what the heck, it would be good for me to find these out. And, boy, I'm glad I did.

I have high cholesterol!

I admit I'm slightly overweight, but I've never really done badly on any other regular health tests. (For what it's worth, I got flying colors in blood sugar and blood pressure.)

I feel like I just got a F on a test I thought would be easy.

So, healthy total blood cholesterol is less than 200 mg/dL. Borderline/at risk is 200 to 239 mg/dL.

My reading: 288 mg/dL!

According to the American Heart Association:

People who have a total cholesterol level of 240 mg/dL or more typically have twice the risk of coronary heart disease as people whose cholesterol level is desirable (200 mg/dL). 

Hopefully by putting this on my blog, it will shame me into really doing something about it.

Here is some more info I learned from the CDC:

Cholesterol is a waxy, fat-like substance found in your body. It is needed for the body to function normally and is found in all cells of the body

Cholesterol can build up on the artery walls of your body. This buildup is called plaque. Over time, plaque can cause the arteries to become narrow, which is called atherosclerosis. As a result, less oxygen–rich blood can pass through. When the arteries that carry blood to the heart are affected, coronary artery disease can result. A heart attack occurs when a coronary artery becomes completely blocked. A coronary artery can become blocked either by plaque buildup or by a plaque that ruptures or bursts which causes a clot. Angina can also develop because of plaque buildup. Angina happens when the heart does not receive enough oxygen–rich blood.

Here are some ways to prevent high cholesterol or bring it down:

• Maintain a healthy diet. Saturated fat, trans fats, and dietary cholesterol tend to raise blood cholesterol levels. Other types of fats, such as monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats can help to lower blood cholesterol levels. Getting enough soluble fiber in the diet can also help to lower cholesterol. 
• Maintain a healthy weight. Being overweight or obese can raise your bad cholesterol levels. Losing weight can help you lower your blood cholesterol levels. Healthy weight status in adults is usually assessed by using weight and height to compute a number called the "body mass index."
• Be active. Physical activity can help to maintain a healthy weight and lower blood cholesterol levels. The Surgeon General recommends that adults should engage in moderate–level physical activities for at least 30 minutes on most days of the week. 
• No tobacco. Smoking injures blood vessels and speeds up the process of hardening of the arteries. Further, smoking is a major risk for heart disease and stroke. If you don’t smoke, don’t start. Quitting smoking lowers one’s risk of heart attack and stroke. 
• Medications. If you are found to have high blood cholesterol, your doctor may prescribe medications, in addition to lifestyle changes, to help bring it under control. 

I've been meaning to get a routine physical for a while, so now would be as good of a time as any. And this definitely pushes me to get to the gym.

Hello, wake-up call.