In this issue: Cholesterol numbers, better asthma control, hula hoops, food poisoning and more.

Do you know what your cholesterol levels are? Manage my newsletter.   HOUSECALL Vol. 15, Issue 30 | May 19, 2014   THIS WEEK'S TOP STORIES     Cholesterol: What numbers should you aim for? Keeping your cholesterol at healthy levels can help you lower your risk of heart disease. Get the facts on how cholesterol is measured.     Asthma treatment: 3 steps to better asthma control   Follow this three-step approach to keep asthma symptoms under control and prevent asthma attacks.           EXPERT ANSWERS   Weighted hula hoops: Exercise gimmick or good idea? Try using a weighted hula hoop as part of an overall fitness program or as a fun way to get more active. Polymyositis: Can a gluten-free diet reduce symptoms? Find out if changing your diet will help ease the symptoms of this rare muscle disease.   PLUS ADDITIONAL HIGHLIGHTS ... Food-borne illness: First aid Water safety: Protect your child from drowning HIV/AIDS Allergies     TRUSTED HEALTH TOOLS   Use our Symptom Checker to explore possible causes of your symptoms based upon Mayo Clinic's patient care experience.   Use these simple calculators and self-assessments for personalized health tips.   LDL cholesterol calculator Heart disease risk calculator     NOW BLOGGING   Nutrition-wise: Is it time to update the '5 a Day' advice? Aim higher for good health. Seven daily servings of vegetables and fruits offer greater benefits than the currently recommended five.     MAYO CLINIC PRODUCTS & SERVICES   Answers for a common concern Incontinence affects millions of people. If you're among them, the good news is that most incontinence can be improved or even cured. With the new second edition of Mayo Clinic on Managing Incontinence, you'll discover Mayo Clinic's most successful medical and non-medical treatment approaches to help men and women improve the quality of their lives. Learn more.     Living With Cancer If you or someone you love is living with cancer, get the help you need from a source you can trust. With our weekly e-newsletter, Living With Cancer, you'll hear from Mayo Clinic medical experts specializing in cancer research, prevention and treatment. Join today; it's FREE.     HEALTHY RECIPES   Red, white and blue parfait Chicken and coleslaw wrap Classic Boston baked beans Minty-lime ice tea   HEALTH TIP OF THE WEEK   Shopping for shades? Ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun can damage your eyes, not just your skin. Choose sunglasses that block 99 to 100 percent of both UVA and UVB rays. Skip sunglasses that are labeled 'cosmetic' and those that don't offer details on the amount of UV protection. Opt for larger lenses rather than smaller lenses. Better yet, choose wraparound sunglasses. Be aware that while polarized lenses reduce glare, they don't offer any UV protection unless they're specifically treated with UV coating.   Need practical advice on diet and exercise? Want creative solutions for stress and other lifestyle issues? Discover even more healthy lifestyle topics at MayoClinic.org.   Mayo Clinic is a not-for-profit organization. Proceeds from website advertising help support our mission. Mayo Clinic does not endorse any non-Mayo products and services. Advertising & Sponsorship Policy    |    Opportunities     Give to Mayo Clinic A gift to research at Mayo Clinic is a gift of life. Donate now.     Connect with Mayo Clinic For more of our reliable health information and tools, visit us at MayoClinic.org. Or add us to your social network!   Like us on Facebook Follow on Twitter Follow on Pinterest   Watch on YouTube Patient Stories View More Newsletters       Thanks for joining our mailing list, wahdaz.5stepquitsmoking@blogger.com, for Mayo Clinic HOUSECALL.   REMOVE me from this list | Add me to this list | Customer service   © 2014 Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research, 200 First Street SW, Rochester, MN 55905. All rights reserved.