Take Charge of Your Cholesterol

About 36.6 million adults in the U.S. had dangerously high cholesterol in 2007, to where it became a major risk for heart disease, according to the American Heart Association.

That’s about 12 percent of the entire U.S. population and doesn’t even include children.

September is National Cholesterol Education Month and is a great time to take charge of your own cholesterol health. People with high cholesterol may not feel symptoms, yet the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute warns high cholesterol often leads to coronary heart disease-the nation’s single leading killer.

What is cholesterol?

Cholesterol is a waxy, fat-like substance that is found throughout your body’s cells. Your liver actually produces its own cholesterol and uses it to make vitamin D, some hormones and other substances that help you digest food. Your body makes about 75 percent of its cholesterol and the other 25 percent comes from the foods you eat, reports the American Heart Association.

What is ‘bad’ and ‘good’ cholesterol?

Not all cholesterol is bad. Dangerously high levels of cholesterol actually mean you have lower levels of “good” cholesterol and very high levels of “bad” cholesterol. Here’s the breakdown:

HDL “good” cholesterol. High levels of HDL cholesterol seem to protect against heart attack, the American Heart Association reports. Low levels of HDL may actually increase your risk of heart disease. The National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute recommends keeping your HDL levels at or above 60mg, which protects against heart disease.
LDL “bad” cholesterol. This is the stuff you want to keep down, because when it builds up on your arteries’ walls, it can form a thick plaque that narrows your artery pathways. If a clot forms due to these narrowed pathways, you can suffer a heart attack or stroke. The National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute recommends keeping your LDL levels less than 100mg.

How can I test my cholesterol?

The National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute suggests everyone 20 years and older get their cholesterol checked at least once every five years. This can be accomplished with a simple blood test.

TRICARE does cover cholesterol tests once every five years, beginning at age 18. Men older than 45, women older than 55 and those with certain risk factors may require more frequent screening. Therefore, if it’s deemed medically necessary, TRICARE will cover more frequent cholesterol tests.

How can I avoid high cholesterol?

Certain risk factors can be controlled, but others cannot. For example, some of the biggest contributors to high cholesterol are diet, weight, lack of physical activity and exposure to tobacco smoke. These risk factors can be controlled: stay physically active, eat healthy foods (lots of fruits and veggies) and avoid tobacco smoke.

However, you might have been born into a family with a history of high cholesterol. Age also plays a role. As you grow older, you become more prone to increased levels of LDL cholesterol.

The best thing you can do is get tested and if you do have high cholesterol, talk with your doctor about starting a plan to treat the condition. For more information about TRICARE benefits, visit www.triwest.com/beneficiary/benefits.aspx , or www.tricare.mil/mybenefit.

Published Date: 09/25/2009