Published: September 13, 2019
September is National Cholesterol Education Month and a good time to ask your doctor about getting your cholesterol numbers checked. There are no symptoms with high cholesterol. It can only be diagnosed with a blood cholesterol screening test.
High blood cholesterol is a major risk factor for heart disease and stroke, the first and fifth leading causes of death in the United States respectively. You can lower or maintain a healthy cholesterol level with physical activity, a healthy weight, a heart-healthy diet, and medication. This will also decrease your risk for heart attack or stroke.
Western Health Advantage has tips for living a healthy lifestyle and tips for a healthy heart. You can also sign up to receive our heart health newsletter.
Educational materials and additional information about cholesterol are available from the CDC.