What Problem?"So what if I have high cholesterol, I don't notice any problem. Anyway, we all have to die eventually."Sound familiar? Many of us have said things like this when we have been faced with having high cholesterol. There are two problems with these statements.
First, high cholesterol is a silent killer. You only notice a problem when it is too late. One of
first signs of heart disease is death. You will not notice cholesterol building up in your blood stream until it blocks blood vessel and you have a heart attack.
So not noticing any symptoms is not a realistic assessment of your risk of heart disease.
Second, we might say it is our choice to not change our lifestyle to improve our health. But are we really making a choice or avoiding a problem? Prochaska, Norcross and DiClemente, in their book, Changing for Good, suggest asking yourself following questions to determine if you are making a choice or have a problem.
1. Am I willing to talk about issue?
People who are really making a choice are able to discuss issue. They are open to learning about it. People who have a problem avoid discussing issue and don't want new information.
2. Am I aware of consequences of not taking action?
This includes being willing to fully consider what it might be like for you to have a heart attack, and if you are lucky, be rushed to hospital. What it might mean for you if you end up disabled and unable to do things you currently enjoy. What it might mean to your friends and family if you are disabled or die.
