(ARA) - When it comes to heart disease risk factors -- like high blood cholesterol and high blood pressure -- one plus one can equal three, five or even nine times higher risk! Adding risk factors can actually multiply your risk.

You can't change some risk factors, like your age or family history. But you can change others, like high cholesterol. That's good news.

Here's more good news: The American Heart Association offers a free program called The Cholesterol Low Down that can help you learn about your risk for heart disease. The program urges you to do three things to help protect your heart:

1) Visit your doctor.

Even if you feel healthy, see your doctor regularly. Make an appointment to talk about heart disease risk.

2) Know your cholesterol numbers.

High cholesterol is one of the leading risk factors for heart disease. If you are over 20 years old, you need to know your cholesterol numbers.

3) Know your other risk factors for heart disease.

Many things can put you at risk for heart disease. Your risk is much higher when you have more than one risk factor. High cholesterol is one risk factor you should know; others are listed below. Make it a priority to take control of the ones you can change.

* Cigarette smoking

* Family history of heart disease

* Diet high in fatty foods (like cheese and creams)

* Age

* High blood pressure

* Diabetes

* Excess weight

* High triglycerides

* Too much alcohol (more than one drink each day for women, and more than two drinks each day for men)

Actress Valerie Harper ("Rhoda") recently learned that she has high cholesterol, which, along with a family history of heart disease, increases her risk. Harper is working with her doctor to lower her cholesterol through diet, exercise and medication.

Join The Cholesterol Low Down TODAY

Call 1-800-AHA-USA1 (1-800-242-8721) or visit americanheart.org/cld.

As a member, you'll get:

* A checklist of questions to ask your doctor

* An online risk calculator to determine your 10-year risk for heart disease

* A brochure and newsletters to answer your questions about cholesterol and heart disease

* A health book with tips for heart-smart living

* A cookbook of heart-healthy recipes

Courtesy of ARA Content

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Courtesy of ARA Content