Because the higher your blood cholesterol, the greater your risk of developing or having a heart attack. Each year, more than a million Americans have a heart attack, and about half a million people die of heart disease.
When there is too much cholesterol in your blood, it builds up in the walls of your arteries. Over time, this buildup causes “hardening of the arteries” so that arteries become narrowed and blood flow to the heart becomes slowed down or blocked. This may cause chest pain or even a heart attack.
High blood cholesterol itself does not cause symptoms, so many people are unaware when their cholesterol is too high. It is important to find out your cholesterol numbers. Lowering levels that are too high lessens the risk of developing heart disease or dying from it if you already have it.
How to Prevent or Lower Blood Cholesterol Levels?
These are things you can do something about it:
Eat a Healthy Diet: learn more on healthy diet and practice it. Healthy diet as recommended by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) is a great option. Go to this website: http://www.choosemyplate.gov/
Watch your weight: being overweight tends to increase your cholesterol level.
Increase your physical activity: regular physical activity can help lower your cholesterol levels.
Get a Doctor Check-Up: regular check-ups with your doctor are important because not only you are properly diagnosed but also can have an earlier treatment if you need it.
Learn more about cholesterol…
More information on lowering cholesterol is available from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) Web site at www.nhlbi.nih.gov (under Health Information for the Public). Podcasts and Spanish-language articles also can be found in the online Diseases and Conditions Index at www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/dci.
You also can order or download information on lowering cholesterol from the NHLBI Web site or by calling the NHLBI Health Information Center at 301–592–8573 (TTY: 240–629–3255).
