From your Parish Nurse or Health Minister
September is National Cholesterol Education Month
It’s a good time to get your blood cholesterol and get your other numbers checked as well. Taking action to control risk factors can help prevent disease. Another step you can take is to adopt a healthy lifestyle.
Are You at Risk?
High blood cholesterol usually has no signs or symptoms. Thus, many people don't know that their cholesterol levels are too high.
High blood pressure itself usually has no signs or symptoms. You can have high blood pressure for years without knowing it.
About one-third of people with Type 2 Diabetes do not even know they have it.
High cholesterol levels increase the risk for heart disease. High blood pressure and diabetes often develop serious complications including heart disease and chronic kidney disease. Your risk increases with the number of risk factors you have, causing damage to your heart, blood vessels, kidneys, and other parts of your body.
That's why you need to know your numbers and determine if you are at risk. You also should know your family history of diabetes and heart disease.
http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/
