Choose a healthy lifestyle!
Choose a healthy lifestyle!

Part 10: When to Check Your Blood Cholesterol

There are 2 types of cholesterol - good and bad. It's so important to keep it at healthy levels because high blood cholesterol is a major risk factor for heart disease and stroke. And we know “what’s good for your heart is good for your brain.”

The Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada recommends that you ask your healthcare provider to check your cholesterol if:

  • You are male and over 40.
  • You are female and over 50 or post-menopausal.
  • You have heart disease, stroke, diabetes or high blood pressure.
  • Your waist measures more than 102 centimetres (40 inches) for men or 88 centimetres (35 inches) for women. For persons of Chinese or South Asian descent, if your waist measures more than 90 centimetres (35 inches) for men or 80 centimetres (32 inches) for women.
  • You have a family history of heart disease or stroke.

Click here for more ideas about how you can manage your blood cholesterol.

Source: Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada