A simple blood test will tell you if you are at risk. Cholesterol is an odorless, white, powdery, fat-like substance which is a necessary ingredient of the cell walls of all animals. It helps to make your skin waterproof and slows down water loss by evaporation from the body. Cholesterol is also used in the formation of the steroid and sex hormones. Your body manufactures cholesterol and it's in the food you eat - called dietary cholesterol.
Dietary cholesterol is found in foods from animals including dairy products, meat, poultry and fish.
In excess, cholesterol builds up on the artery walls in the form of plaque, and the opening begins to narrow. Eventually, the artery gets narrower and narrower and the heart does not get enough blood to stay healthy. There are three types of cholesterol in your body. Put simply, the LDL cholesterol is the bad cholesterol. This is the type of cholesterol that contributes to the plaque buildup in your arteries.