Test your heart health knowledge with this true or false quiz. Then learn some fun facts to help keep your heart pumping strong and your arteries clear so you can live a healthy and vibrant life, regardless of your age.

True or False - The body doesn’t need cholesterol.

False. The human body creates cholesterol and every single cell has need of cholesterol. Cholesterol is so important that without it, you could not live.

Cholesterol makes up the cell membrane of every cell in our body.

Cholesterol is the foundation of important hormones in our body including estrogen, progesterone, testosterone, and cortisol.

Cholesterol makes up our bile salts and helps the body to digest food.

The cholesterol you eat does not necessarily impact your blood cholesterol levels. But rather, foods that are high in saturated fat can raise cholesterol. Cholesterol is not the same thing as saturated fat.

LDL is not a cholesterol molecule, but rather it is the “bus” that transports the cholesterol molecules, like triglycerides, to the different parts of the body.

Small density LDL are smaller particles of several types of LDL that have been discovered to be more harmful to artery walls. The particle size is not generally part of the standard lipid profile that your doctor will order. If you have high LDL, be sure to ask your doctor to perform the more detailed blood work so you will know your risk factor.

True or False – Blood sugar levels don’t have anything to do with heart health.

False. Studies have shown a direct link between metabolic syndrome (low levels of HDL, high levels of triglycerides, large waist circumference / apple body, and high blood sugar) and artery damage due to inflammation, free radical damage, and poor wound healing.

Studies show that low insulin sensitivity alone is associated with coronary artery disease independent of other risk factors such as smoking.

Insulin resistance can cause an imbalance in glucose metabolism, which can cause chronic hyperglycemia, which can cause oxidative stress and tissue damage, including the tissues within your arteries, that leads to atherosclerosis.

Atherosclerosis, the narrowing of the artery walls due to plaque buildup, is the primary cause of heart disease in both diabetics and those without diabetes but with decreased insulin sensitivity.

Insulin resistance can cause an imbalance in lipid (fat) metabolism which in turn leads to the well known lipid triad in blood tests: 1. low HDL 2. high triglycerides and 3. the appearance of small particle low density lipoprotein, all of which can additionally contribute to plaque formation

Your blood work may show normal blood sugar levels and yet you may still be insulin resistant. In insulin resistance, the target cells fail to respond to ordinary levels of circulating insulin thus higher concentrations of insulin are required for a normal response. Ask your doctor to check your blood insulin levels.

Insulin resistance causes weight gain which, in turn, causes the heart to have to work harder.

True or False - High blood pressure is always genetic.

False. Your blood pressure can fluctuate throughout the day and many lifestyle factors that are non-genetic are the most common contributors to hypertension.

Blood pressure is the measure of the force of your blood against the arteries. A balance of pressure is needed to transport oxygen and nutrients to all the cells in your body.

Unhealthy eating patterns, lack of physical activity, alcohol consumption, medications such as birth control and NSAIDs, sleep apnea, adrenal disease, kidney disease, illness, hydration, stress, and smoking (including vape) are all major contributors to elevated blood pressure.

Hypertension can damage blood vessels and narrow blood vessel walls that supply the heart and brain with blood. Ignored, this can lead to heart attack and / or stroke.

Blood vessel damage can also cause problems with the eyes, kidneys, and nerves.

High sodium consumption is often associated with high blood pressure, but high sugar intake can also increase blood pressure. Sugar intake can increase salt sensitivity, thereby increasing blood pressure.

Increased blood pressure can strain the heart and over time cause the heart to weaken or become stiff which can lead to heart failure.

High blood pressure is often associated with other symptoms and cardiac risk factors of metabolic syndrome (low levels of HDL, high levels of triglycerides, large waist circumference / apple body, and high blood sugar).

As you can see, all of these cardiac risk factors are interrelated. More importantly, they are all things that you can choose to control with your daily lifestyle. So applying healthy habits will go a long way in limiting these controllable risk factors and helping to keep your heart pumping strong.

Eat a diet rich in nutritious foods like colorful vegetables, fish, nuts, and lean meats. Limit processed foods, high sugar foods, high sodium foods, and trans fats.

Get active with at least 150 minutes of moderate intensity activity each week.

Lose weight (hint- achieve this by eating the right nutrients in the correct amount, getting sufficient amounts of exercise, getting sufficient rest, reducing stress, and drinking plenty of filtered water).
Adopt healthy habits.

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