American men rank 83rd in the world in average total cholesterol.Even if you think you know everything there is to know about cholesterol, there may be a few more surprises in store. Check out these common myths about high cholesterol; find out who’s most likely to have it, what types of food can cause it, and why—sometimes—cholesterol isn’t a bad word. Myth 1: Americans have the highest cholesterol in the world
One of the world's enduring stereotypes is the fat American with cholesterol-clogged arteries who is a Big Mac or two away from a heart attack. As a nation, we could certainly use some slimming down, but when it comes to cholesterol levels we are solidly middle-of-the-road.
Inflammation is cholesterol's partner in crime Read moreAccording to 2005 World Health Organization statistics, American men rank 83rd in the world in average total cholesterol, and American women rank 81st; in both cases, the average number is 197 mg/dL, just below the Borderline-High Risk category. That is very respectable compared to the top-ranked countries: In Colombia the average cholesterol among men is a dangerous 244, while the women in Israel, Libya, Norway, and Uruguay are locked in a four-way tie at 232. Myth 2: Eggs are evil
It's true that eggs have a lot of dietary cholesterol—upwards of 200 mg, which is more than two-thirds of the American Heart Association's recommended limit of 300 mg a day. But dietary cholesterol isn't nearly as dangerous as was once thought. Only some of the cholesterol in food ends up as cholesterol in your bloodstream, and if your dietary cholesterol intake rises, your body compensates by producing less cholesterol of its own.
While you don't want to overdo it, eating an egg or two a few times a week isn't dangerous. In fact, eggs are an excellent source of protein and contain unsaturated fat, a so-called good fat.
Could it be something you ate? Not enough sleep? Want to know what could be causing your headache? Our comprehensive list just might help you out. 
What really triggers that debilitating pain in your head? Read more2. Your personality
Atherosclerosis is a disease of the arteries, the blood vessels that carry oxygen and nutrients to our organs and tissues (including heart muscle tissue). It is a type of arteriosclerosis, the term for any stiffening of the arteries. Atherosclerosis is especially dangerous because it is hidden deep in the body and not easily detectable. It is a slow, progressive disease. 
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THURSDAY, Nov. 5 (Health.com) — Most people know that healthy cholesterol levels can help protect your heart. But new research suggests another potential benefit: a lower risk of developing some types of cancer. 
If you’re looking for an all-natural way to lower your cholesterol—in addition to watching what you eat and exercising—there are plenty of dietary supplements on the market that claim to do the trick. Each year seems to bring a new alternative remedy—garlic, ginseng, or red yeast rice, for example—that users tout as the next best thing to get cholesterol under control. 
You may not recognize the name Kerryn McCann, but it's all over the news this week. McCann was an award-winning Australian runner, age 41, who died Monday from breast cancer that spread to her liver and brain. Sadly, about 1.3 million women will be diagnosed with breast cancer worldwide this year, and 465,000 women will die from it—McCann is just one of many. The twist on the story is that she discovered her breast lump while pregnant, and initially she thought it was nothing. 
TUESDAY, Nov. 10, 2009 (Health.com) — Almost half of women who have breast cancer surgery still have pain or numbness two to three years later, according to a new study. Women younger than 40 who receive lumpectomies are at the greatest risk. 
There is no proven link between breast cancer and household products, whether they be soap or water bottles. But many consumers, activists, and experts are concerned that a variety of goods contain hormone disruptors, chemicals that when absorbed into the body can mimic or interfere with hormones such as estrogen. Some researchers believe that chemicals with estrogenic characteristics can cause normal breast cells to divide. 
Women should have a mammogram every two years starting at age 50—not 40, according to an expert panel’s new breast cancer screening guidelines, which are sure to cause confusion among women, particularly those in their 40s who routinely schedule a mammogram each year. 
Taking estrogen may increase a woman's risk of getting breast cancer.Getting relief from menopause symptoms doesn’t need to mean estrogen-only treatments or combined hormone therapy (HT), which may increase your risk of breast cancer. If you can, consider nondrug remedies first, says JoAnn Manson, MD, a professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School and the author of Hot Flashes, Hormones & Your Health. 
More than 80% of breast cancer patients have tried complementary therapies. Read more"If a woman has only vaginal dryness and discomfort with intercourse and no other symptoms, she can use a topical estrogen or a vaginal estrogen ring, which have a much lower absorption of estrogen," adds Dr. Manson, who notes that relaxation and breathing techniques have worked for some women as well. "I would encourage women to try lifestyle modifications before going with estrogen, especially if they have mild symptoms," she says. 
Twitter and other social media sites are often perceived as the ultimate navel-gazing tools. Seemingly a narcissist’s dream, many think that Facebook status updates and the 140-character Twitter messages (known as “tweets”) are really just boring play-by-plays of daily life—I had granola for breakfast! I’m stuck in traffic! 
THURSDAY, Sept. 17, 2009 (Health.com) — Women at high risk of breast cancer can often lower that risk by taking medication, including drugs like tamoxifen or the osteoporosis drug raloxifene (Evista). 
TUESDAY, December 8, 2009 (Health.com) — Women with breast cancer who eat more soy are less likely to die or have a recurrence of cancer than women who eat few or no soy products, according to a new study. 
Taking estrogen may increase a woman's risk of getting breast cancer.Estrogen is probably the hardest-working hormone in a woman’s body, but it also has a dark side: Research has determined that estrogen often plays a key role in the development of breast cancer, especially after a woman reaches menopause. How? The estrogen in a woman’s body seems to raise breast cancer risk by encouraging the growth of breast tissue, which can speed up an existing tumor’s growth. Here's what you need to know. 
