Mayo Clinic: You've heard the warnings before — high cholesterol increases your risk of heart disease. So how often should you get your cholesterol checked, what should your numbers be, and how do you get them there?

Heart numbers to know, from Cleveland Clinic

Knowing your risk for heart disease depends on knowing and understanding some important numbers:

- Blood pressure should be less than 120/80 mm Hg

- Fasting blood sugar should be less than 100 mg/dL

- Total cholesterol less than 200 mg/dL

- LDL (bad cholesterol) less than 100 mg/dL, HDL (good) greater than 40 mg/dL

- Waist circumference should be less than 40 inches for men and less then 35 inches for women

- Body Mass Index (BMI) should be between 18.5 and 25. Calculate your BMI here: http://bit.ly/glMJE5