High cholesterol is classified as any total cholesterol number above 200 mg/dL or an LDL cholesterol number above 100 mg/dL, states the American Heart Association. Having high blood cholesterol puts you at a higher risk for developing heart disease, heart attack or stroke. However, there are ways to dramatically lower your cholesterol numbers and get your health back under control.
Step 1
Avoid foods that are high in saturated fat. These include fattier cuts of meat--such as prime cuts or ground beef less than 95 percent lean--and full fat dairy products including butter and cream. Replace these foods with leaner cuts of meat such as tenderloins or sirloin. Replace butter with healthy fats such as olive oil when sauteing foods at lower temperatures.
Step 2
Increase your intake of soluble fiber by eating foods such as whole grains, fruits and vegetables to help you reduce your cholesterol levels. When ingested, soluble fiber creates a gel-like substance that helps prevent cholesterol from being absorbed by the bloodstream from the digestive system, states MayoClinic.com
Step 3
Add fish to your diet at least two times a week, recommends the American Heart Association. Fish is full of omega-3 fatty acids, which help reduce cholesterol levels, decrease blood pressure, reduce triglyceride levels and lower your risks of developing heart disease.
Step 4
Schedule 150 minutes of exercise as recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention each week. Go for a brisk walk or jog, lift weights or go for a bike ride to help meet this goal. According to MayoClinic.com, exercise helps lower cholesterol levels by raising your HDL "good" cholesterol levels, which helps pull LDL "bad" cholesterol out of your bloodstream.
Step 5
Stop smoking to reduce the impact cigarettes have on your blood cholesterol. Smoking lowers your HDL good cholesterol, which negatively impacts your total cholesterol numbers.
Step 6
Ask your doctor about cholesterol-lowering medications. Medications such as statins, cholesterol absorption inhibitors, fibrates, bile acid sequestrants and nicotinic acid agents may help lower your blood cholesterol when other methods have been unsuccessful.
References
- MayoClinic.com: Cholesterol: Top 5 foods to lower your numbers
- American Heart Association: Prevention and Treatment of High Cholesterol
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Physical Activity for Everyone
- American Heart Association: Fish and Omega-3 Fatty Acids
- MayoClinic.com: Top 5 lifestyle changes to reduce cholesterol
