Five ways to do so if you aren’t

Women are significantly less likely than men to control their cholesterol, which may put them at higher risk for heart attacks, strokes and other cardiovascular maladies.

However, here are major ways to corral cholesterol and boost your overall general health:

•  Know your “numbers.” A simple blood test at the doctor’s office will reveal our total cholesterol, LDL “bad” cholesterol and HDL “good” cholesterol. If the test may show you need to lower your total and "bad" cholesterol levels, while raising your “good” cholesterol.

“Good” cholesterol helps flush its evil sibling out of your blood, reducing your chances of clogged arteries, heart disease and strokes, according to health experts.

•  Eat foods low in saturated fat and cholesterol – and consume plenty of fruits, vegetables, and low-fat or fat-free dairy foods.

•  Exercise for at least 30 minutes most days of the week.

•  Keep your weight within a healthy range.

•  Quit smoking.

Usually, doctors will turn to prescription medications when eating healthy, exercising and losing weight fail to lower your cholesterol – a part of which just may be in your genes. The most popular cholesterol-lowering drugs are known as “statins,” but there are other medicines doctors also use to treat the condition.

Knowing how to 'manage' cholestrol

According to the federal National Cholesterol Education Program, you don’t have to give up entirely your favorite foods, but just taking a more prudent approach to the kinds – and especially the amounts – of the foods you consume.

But taking control of your cholesterol is especially important if you’re a woman.

Findings from a recent study suggest that women and their doctors may underestimate the risk for high cholesterol and heart disease, which leads to women keeping poorer tabs on their levels of “bad” cholesterol.

"Women must know their risk for heart disease and how to manage it," said Dr. Ileana L. Piña, who teaches medicine at Cleveland’s Case Western University. "These study findings show an opportunity to improve patient care for women and a reason to encourage women to consider seriously how to manage their risk factors, especially the LDL portion of cholesterol.”

The National Committee for Quality Assurance, a private healthcare accreditation and certification organization, released the findings after studying the gender differences in prevention, treatment and risk factors for cardiovascular disease from 46 managed-care and 148 Medicare plans.

According to the findings, women did equally as well – and in some cases, better – than men in caring for most aspects of their health, with the notable exception of cholesterol. For instance, more than 55 percent of white men with recent heart problems met the recommended levels for cholesterol, compared to 46 percent of the white women.

The same gender differences held for African Americans: nearly 45 percent of men kept their cholesterol under control, compared to 34 percent of the women.

In February, the American Heart Association published updated women’s treatment guidelines in Circulation, the organization’s medical journal.

The guidelines included more aggressive recommendations for high-risk women, including reducing “bad” cholesterol to less than 70 mg/dL in very high risk women with heart disease.

A special heart association Web site provides tips on how women can lower their cholesterol levels and other risk factors for heart disease – the number one killer of women in the United States.

Meanwhile, association and committee leaders called for more research on understanding the disparities in the way men and women look after their health. Committee leaders are expected to meet with congressional leaders May 21 in Washington, D.C., to share their findings and recommendations on closing the gender gaps.

"This study highlights the importance of not just knowing your health, but also taking an active role in your care," said Margaret O’Kane, the committee’s president. "The data show that we’ve got our work cut out for us in terms of raising awareness among both physicians and patients."