High cholesterol stunner pushes Joe into limelight
HE’S FIT, YOUNG – AND NOW FACE OF NEW CAMPAIGN WITH DAVINA
A YOUNG footballer was shocked to learn he had high cholesterol despite being fit and healthy.
Now he’s involved in a new campaign on the issue with TV presenter Davina Mccall.
Joe Greenland, who regularly plays football and is also a referee, said he went for a health check in January last year when he received the news.
The 24-year-old, of Long Eaton, said: “I’ve always been fit and healthy. I am Type 1 diabetic so I went for my annual review where they take blood tests and it came back that I had high cholesterol.
“When it came back I thought I had the wrong result.
“I was completely shocked. People you hear about with high cholesterol levels are normally quite unfit and older than I am.
“It isn’t something I thought I needed to worry about. I’ve been playing football since I was five and I don’t eat rubbish food.
“To me, high cholesterol was something that typically happened with old age and definitely not something that could happen in your 20s, hence why I was never concerned.”
The Field Debt Solutions advisor, who been diabetic since he was seven, said it was “difficult” when he was first diagnosed.
He said: “I used to be in and out of hospital all the time. Now, I control my diabetes rather than diabetes controlling me. “The only thing that affects me is if I’m sat on a bench doing an injection and there’s a mum with a kid. I do get funny looks. “If it was anything bad surely I wouldn’t be sat in the middle of a busy high street. If someone said something I would explain it to them. “More education on it would be good.”
In the time since he found out about his cholesterol, Joe has altered his diet to eat more fish and switched the margarine he was previously using.
He said his cholesterol level has dropped as a result.
A recent survey highlights a serious lack of understanding among the UK population around cholesterol, with 1 in 5 adults (20%) believing regular exercise will prevent it.
Joe is now part of a new public health campaign called Cholesterol Uncovered, being launched by Raisio Nutrition.
The campaign is fronted by Davina Mccall to raise awareness of high cholesterol and the fact that it really can affect anyone – no –matter how outwardly fit and healthy they might appear.
The campaign showcases real people who’ve struggled with their cholesterol – despite not fitting the public stereotype of “someone with high cholesterol”.
Joe said: “There were mccall four of us at the shoot along with Davina, who was really down to earth.
“It was such a shock for me to find out and I want to get out there and educate people of a similar age to me. It is worth getting checked because you never know.”
It was such a shock for me to find out and I want to get out there and educate people
Joe Greenland