Managing Your Cholesterol

Cholesterol is a fat-like substance found in the blood. It's a normal part of blood, but too much cholesterol can block the flow of blood to the heart or brain.

There are different kinds of fat found in the blood:

HDL cholesterol is the "good" cholesterol. It helps keep the arteries from becoming blocked.
LDL cholesterol is the "bad" cholesterol. Too much LDL cholesterol can block the arteries.
Triglycerides are another kind of fat in the blood. These can also raise your risk of heart disease.

Cholesterol can be checked with a simple blood test. It's a good idea to have your cholesterol checked every one to five years starting at age 20 or according to your doctor's recommendations. When you schedule your annual checkup, ask your doctor about getting your cholesterol checked.

Here are more steps you can take now:

Find out what your cholesterol numbers mean.
Calculate your heart disease risk.
Learn how to treat high cholesterol.
Find out how making the best food and lifestyle choices can help you reach your personal cholesterol goals.

High blood cholesterol is a serious condition that increases your risk for heart disease—the higher your cholesterol level, the greater your risk. You can have high cholesterol and not know it. Lowering cholesterol levels that are too high lessens your risk for developing heart disease and reduces the chance of having a heart attack or dying of heart disease.

For more information and to find out what your cholesterol numbers mean, download this 6-page brochure, High Blood Cholesterol: What You Need to Know.

Source: National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute

September is National Cholesterol Education Month

3 Things You Can Do
A variety of things can affect your cholesterol. These are things you can do something about:

Health Risk Assessment
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