Do your employees know their digits? They should.
Being aware of your cholesterol numbers is the first step in controlling your levels so you can avoid serious consequences down the line.
Despite the word’s negative connotations, cholesterol itself is not bad. In fact, it’s a necessary substance for the body. The trouble comes when your levels get out of whack, and you have too much of the bad kind (LDL) and/or too little of the good (HDL).
Even if your numbers are OK today, it’s never too early to adopt healthy habits to make sure they stay that way. A universal goal is to raise your level of HDL, which keeps LDL from clogging your arteries and causing heart attack and stroke, and lower your level of LDL.
The real dilemma is that high cholesterol often goes undetected until symptoms arise, and by then it could be too late.
The best way to check cholesterol levels is through a blood screening. Because many people are unlikely to make a doctor’s appointment exclusively to get their cholesterol checked, consider offering free cholesterol tests at your company’s next health fair.
Lifestyle changes and, in certain cases, medication can bring those numbers back into a healthy balance. And, conveniently, the same changes that are good for health in general, such as increasing physical activity, quitting smoking, and eating a heart-healthy diet, are effective ways to manage cholesterol.
Cholesterol-friendly cooking tips from the American Heart Association: