Most people know high cholesterol is bad for the heart, but few really understand what cholesterol is. Dr. Claire Haga, a Mayo Clinic family physician, explains why it’s so closely related to heart problems. She also discusses the power you have to control it.

“You do need cholesterol to help with healthy brain formation. However, there is bad cholesterol, and this is what actually builds the plaques in our arteries,” Haga said.

Cholesterol is a waxy substance that’s found in the fats in your blood. When you have high cholesterol, you may develop fatty deposits in your blood vessels, which eventually could make it difficult for enough blood to flow through your arteries.

“So that bad cholesterol, when those plaques build, if they rupture, they can cause a heart attack or even cause a stroke,” Haga said.

Haga said what you eat affects your cholesterol levels, so you have some power to control it.

“Examples of transfats, a lot of this is going to be your products that are prepackaged, sometimes things like donuts and cookies,” Haga said. “There are things that are made with shortening, fast foods, fried foods. (You should) really try to eliminate those.”

And try to cut back on saturated fats that often are found in animal products, such as bacon or butter.

Haga said you also can lower your cholesterol when you take in more omega-3, which is the good fat that you find in fish, nuts and avocado. Getting more whey protein in your diet also can lower your cholesterol.