September is National Cholesterol Education Month, a good time to get your blood cholesterol checked and take steps to lower it if it is high. National Cholesterol Education Month is also a good time to learn about lipid profiles and about food and lifestyle choices that help you reach personal cholesterol goals.

Cholesterol is a waxy, fat-like substance found in your body and many foods. Your body needs cholesterol to function normally and makes all that you need. Too much cholesterol can build up in your arteries. After a while, these deposits narrow your arteries, putting you at risk for heart disease and stroke. High cholesterol doesn’t have any symptoms. As a result, many people do not know that their cholesterol levels are too high. However, doctors can do a simple blood test to check your cholesterol and it can be controlled through lifestyle changes and medications.

It’s important to check your cholesterol levels. High cholesterol is a major risk factor for heart disease, the leading cause of death in the United States. People who are overweight or obese and those who have a family history of high cholesterol or heart disease are at especially high risk of developing high cholesterol.

The National Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP) recommends that adults aged 20 years or older have their cholesterol checked every 5 years.

A simple blood test called a lipoprotein profile can measure your total cholesterol levels, including LDL (low-density lipoprotein, or “bad” cholesterol), HDL (high-density lipoprotein, or “good” cholesterol), and triglycerides.

More than 98 million Americans have total cholesterol levels at or above 200 mg/dL, which is above healthy levels. More than 34 million of these people have levels of 240 mg/dL or higher, which puts them at high risk for heart disease.

High cholesterol can develop in early childhood and adolescence, and your risk increases as your weight increases. In the United States, more than one-third (31%) of youth aged 12–19 years have at least one abnormal lipid level. It is important for children over 2 years of age to have their cholesterol checked, if they are overweight/obese or have a family history of high cholesterol or heart disease.

If you have high cholesterol, to lower it your doctor may prescribe medications to treat your high cholesterol. In addition, you can lower your cholesterol levels through lifestyle changes such as eating more fresh fruits and vegetables, getting at least 2 hours and 30 minutes of moderate or 1 hour and 15 minutes of vigorous physical activity a week, maintaining a healthy weight and not smoking. The National Cholesterol Education Program has developed specific recommendations about cholesterol treatment for people at increased risk, such as those with a family history of high cholesterol or heart disease.

Stan White, the chief security officer of Praise Covenant Christian Center, continues to offer security tips and vital information in the upcoming months. Therefore, please take note and stay alert as it relates to safety, especially when it comes to protecting your home.

Safety Tip # 4:  Protect Your Home While You Are Away

• Home burglary is a serious reality in the world we live in. Criminal teams work neighborhoods looking for unoccupied homes to steal from. They may watch a home for weeks to see who’s coming and going. They are also looking for patterns or consistent times when no one seems to be at home.
• Make sure your home looks like someone is living in it. Don’t close your curtains – in the daytime this shows the house is empty. Think about getting automatic time switches to turn your lights on when it goes dark.
• Cancel any deliveries such as newspapers and other packages.
• Cut the lawn before you go and trim back any plants that burglars could hide behind.
• Get a friend or neighbor to look after your home. They can collect your mail; mow your lawn and so on. This gives the impression that someone is living in your home. If you leave keys with a neighbor, don’t label them with your address.
• Don’t leave valuables, like your TV or computer where people can see them through windows.

Recovery Month is an annual observance that takes place during the month of September.
Recovery Month observance highlights the societal benefits of substance abuse treatment, lauds the contributions of treatment providers and promotes the message that recovery from substance abuse in all its forms is possible. The observance also encourages citizens to take action to help expand and improve the availability of effective substance abuse treatment for those in need. Each year a new theme, or emphasis, is selected for the observance.
Recovery Month provides a platform to celebrate people in recovery and those who serve them. Each September, thousands of treatment programs around the country celebrate their successes and share them with their neighbors, friends, and colleagues in an effort to educate the public about treatment, how it works, for whom, and why. Substance abuse treatment providers have made significant accomplishments, having transformed the lives of untold thousands of Americans. These successes often go unnoticed by the broader population; therefore, Recovery Month provides a vehicle to celebrate these successes.
Recovery Month also serves to educate the public on substance abuse as a national health crisis, that addiction is a treatable disease, and that recovery is possible. Recovery Month highlights the benefits of treatment for not only the affected individual, but for their family, friends, workplace, and society as a whole. Educating the public reduces the stigma associated with addiction and treatment. Accurate knowledge of the disease helps people to understand the importance of supporting treatment programs, those who work within the treatment field, and those in need of treatment.