Blood cholesterol helps to measure your risk of a heart attack.

Cholesterol is a fat-like substance produced by the liver or from food that you eat. Food such as butter, meat and cream are rich sources of cholesterol. Excessive cholesterol is harmful to your health. However, you need some of it to help you perform many of your normal body functions like hormone or Vitamin D production. To assess your risk of a heart attack, please refer to the table below:

If your results are normal and you do not have any other risk factors, it is highly recommended to check your cholesterol level once every five years. If you have high blood pressure, diabetes or heart disease, or a family history of these diseases, you will need to have your cholesterol level checked more often. Please seek your doctor’s advice.

• Do not choose red meats and avoid prawns, squid and organs such as liver and intestines.
• Do not take more than three egg yolks a week.
• Avoid deep fried food.
• Cut down on creamy pastries and gravy containing coconut.
• Use less grated coconut and coconut milk in cooking.
• Have more vegetables and bean-based dishes.
• Use skimmed or low fat dairy products.
• Try to bake, steam, grill, boil or microwave where possible.
• Exercise regularly.
• Quit smoking.
• Use unsaturated fats in cooking (corn, soya, olive oil) instead of saturated fats (butter, lard, ghee or other animal fats).