High cholesterol is the same as hyperlipidemia. High cholesterol is when you have too much fat in your blood.
What Can I Do to Help Lower My Cholesterol?
Change the Way You Eat
- Make an appointment with a dietician
- Eat foods that do not have much fat or grease
- Eat 5 servings of fruits and vegetables every day
- Eat more whole grains and less red meats
Set Your Goals by Knowing Your Numbers
- How much should I weigh? _____________________
- How much do I weigh? ________________________
- What is my cholesterol goal number? _____________
- What is my cholesterol number? _________________
Too much fat in your blood can cause a stroke (brain attack), heart attack or heart disease.
Change What You Do Every Day
- Exercise or walk at least 30 minutes every day
- Work hard on your diet and exercise to keep from being overweight
- Do not smoke
How Can My Doctor Tell If I Have High Cholesterol?
- Your doctor does a blood test
- If you are at least 20 years old, your doctor should test your blood to measure fat levels.
Things to ask your doctor or pharmacist about high cholesterol:
- What is the name of my cholesterol medicine?
- What time of day should I take my cholesterol medicine?
- How long will I need to take my cholestoral medicine?
- Does it matter if I take my medicine with or without food?
- Are there any foods or drinks I should not have while taking my medicine?
- What are the side effects of my cholesterol medicine?
- How can I stop smoking? Should I set a 'quit date'?
For more information, go to www.MedlinePlus.gov and search for "Huyperlipidemia."