Winning the cholesterol numbers game

What's your cholesterol number? Don't know? Unfortunately, you’re not alone.

Most Americans, especially between the ages of 18 and 45, don’t know their cholesterol levels. The problem with this is that when high cholesterol is left untreated, you are at serious risk of coronary heart disease, high blood pressure, even stroke.

Reducing that risk is as simple as understanding cholesterol, keeping track of your levels and then making small changes to keep them at a healthy level. Here are a few tips to get you started.

Good vs. bad: It's important to understand what is good cholesterol and what is bad. LDL is the bad cholesterol. It can slowly build up in the walls of your arteries, limiting circulation of blood to your brain and heart. HDL is known as the good cholesterol because it helps prevent blockage in your arteries.

Crunch the numbers: When looking at your HDL, or good cholesterol, the higher your number, the better. If your HDL level is less than 50, you are at an increased risk for heart disease. It is the opposite for the LDL, or bad cholesterol levels. The lower the number the better. Strive to keep your LDL level below 130.

Make it a habit: If your cholesterol levels are high, you can often avoid medication by making simple lifestyle changes. Are you a smoker? Do you eat too much saturated fat, trans fat or cholesterol? Are you physically inactive? All of these modifiable factors can affect your cholesterol levels and potentially prevent a heart attack.

Adults not only need to pay attention to their own cholesterol levels, but their kids' numbers too! Click here to read my blog about kids and cholesterol.

Be sure to tune in to Dr. Sanjay Gupta every weekend on HOUSE CALL. You'll find the answers to your medical questions Saturday and Sunday at 7:30 a.m. ET on CNN.