Like the title says, September is National Cholesterol Education Month, sponsored by the National Cholesterol Education Program. Use this month as a starting point for your work to reduce your blood cholesterol levels!
High cholesterol is a major risk factor for heart disease, one of the leading causes of death in the United States. Nearly one hundred million Americans have high cholesterol — more than 200 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL) or higher. Of those one hundred million Americans, more than 34 million have high risk levels — 240 mg/dL or higher. Lowering your cholesterol levels can reduce your risk of heart disease and heart disease related death.
The National Cholesterol Education Program suggests that adults age twenty and older get a cholesterol check every five years. A lipoprotein profile test can measure the levels different kinds of cholesterol in your blood; it also measures triglycerides (another kind of fat in the blood). The optimal cholesterol levels are:
- Total cholesterol: less than 200 mg/dL
- Low density lipoprotein (LDL, bad cholesterol): less than 100 mg/dL
- High density lipoprotein (HDL, good cholesterol): 40 mg/dL or higher
- Triglycerides: less than 150 mg/dL
Celebrate National Cholesterol Education Month by going to your doctor and requesting a cholesterol test. Knowing your levels is the first step in achieving or maintaining healthy cholesterol levels. If your cholesterol is above 200 mg/dL, you can work on lowering your cholesterol through medication and lifestyle changes. Talk to your doctor about diet changes, physical activity, and weight control — and how these things can help improve your cholesterol levels.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control funds programs across the country to help people prevent heart disease and lower cholesterol. One of these programs is WISEWOMAN, an opportunity for women without health insurance to have access to screening (like cholesterol tests) and lifestyle interventions that can help reduce the risk of heart disease, stroke, and other chronic diseases. The CDC also has a Lipid Standardization Program that helps ensure the quality of more than 35 million cholesterol tests performed each year in the United States.