Thursday, September 1, 2011

September is National Cholesterol Education Month

Do You Know Your Levels?


Cholesterol levels, that is. Over 65 million Americans have high cholesterol and many do not know it. High cholesterol increases your risk for heart disease.

Now is the time to get your levels tested. Everyone over age 20 should have their cholesterol measured at least once every five years. Talk to your doctor about getting a lipoprotein test or other test that measures your cholesterol. You need to know your total LDL (bad) and HDL (good) cholesterol levels.

If you have high cholesterol, talk to your doctor about possible treatments. In addition, lifestyle changes can reduce your levels:

1. Eating a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol, with plenty of whole grains, fruits and vegetables

2. Working toward a healthy weight

3. Getting regular physical activity

4. Quitting smoking


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