September is National Cholesterol Awareness Month

This month is National Cholesterol Awareness Month. And a number of organizations including the American Heart Association, and the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI) have mounted efforts to ramp up the awareness of the importance of knowing your cholesterol numbers.

Theme of the observance this year is "Know your cholesterol numbers, know your risk." This theme emphasizes two of the main thrusts of the cholesterol guidelines: the importance of having your cholesterol measured and knowing your risk of developing heart disease.

A number of resources have been developed. For instance, the American Heart Association has put together on its web site some information and a short quiz to help you sort through the alphabet soup of medical jargon
The NHLBI program this month includes an online Cholesterol Education Month kit makes it easy to access and disseminate information on cholesterol. The Cholesterol Month kit contains a variety of materials that will assist you in bringing information on cholesterol lowering into your community, program, or practice.
For wellness managers, Cholesterol Month is a good time to recharge your cholesterol education activities, urged the NHLBI. Research has clearly shown that lowering cholesterol can reduce the risk of developing heart disease.
The NHLBI education kit includes Ten Great Ideas to help you promote National Cholesterol Education Month; links to Heart-Healthy Recipes, including African American, Latino, and Stay Young at Heart favorites; and, a Chart Your Progress - Reach Your Goal worksheet to help you keep track of your cholesterol numbers.