Keep Cholesterol Under Control

High blood cholesterol increases your risk for heart attack and stroke. In fact, the higher your blood cholesterol, the higher your risk for heart disease. What you do and what you eat can make a difference. There are a few simple steps you can take to lower your cholesterol levels and lower your risk.

The main goal in lowering your cholesterol is to lower your low-density lipoprotein (LDL or bad cholesterol) level so you reduce your risk of heart disease. You can control some lifestyle habits that affect your cholesterol level:

Diet

Eat foods that are low in saturated fats and cholesterol. A good rule of thumb is to consume less than seven percent of calories from saturated fat and less than 200 mg of dietary cholesterol per day. Only consume enough calories to maintain or achieve a desirable weight. Please consult a physician before making changes to your diet.

Weight Management

Being overweight tends to increase your blood cholesterol level, and is also a risk factor for heart disease. Losing weight can help lower your LDL.

Physical Activity

You should try to be physically active for at least 30 minutes on most, if not all, days. Physical activity can help lower LDL and decrease your risk for heart disease Please consult your physician before beginning a new exercise routine, especially if you haven’t been physically active for a while, are over the age of 50 or are living with a chronic condition.

It is also important to schedule a cholesterol screening with your physician. If you have high cholesterol, your physician will work with you to develop a treatment plan, which will include lifestyle changes like the ones listed above and may include drug treatment.

TRICARE covers cholesterol tests once every five years beginning at age 18.

Learn more about cholesterol and how you can take steps to control your cholesterol levels.