Having high cholesterol increases your risk of developing heart disease and heightens your chance of suffering a heart attack. Thus, this potentially fatal condition should never be taken lightly. The good news is, even if you already have high cholesterol, you have the power to control it. You can make a multitude of lifestyle changes starting today that can lower your cholesterol considerably, possibly even without the need for a prescription medication.
Step 1
Stop killing yourself by smoking and drinking. According to MayoClinic.com, quitting smoking alone can have major effects on your cholesterol. Only 20 minutes after you stop smoking, your blood pressure decreases. Just 24 hours later, your risk of getting a heart attack decreases. A year later, your chances of developing heart disease will be one-half what it used to be. It will take 15 years, however, before your risk of developing heart disease drops to the level of a non-smoker. Drinking alcohol is acceptable, but only if done in moderation. One 12-oz. drink per day is the maximum recommended amount.
Step 2
Eat healthier foods. It may not sound like much, but changing your diet can be life-altering in a whole host of healthy ways. It starts with what you buy at the store, and ends with what you look for when you walk into the kitchen. Replace high sugar, high cholesterol breakfasts with high-fiber alternatives like oatmeal and oat bran. Instead of snacking on candy bars, snack on walnuts and almonds. Instead of eating a 16 oz. steak, have a salmon, a fish that is high in omega-3 fatty acids. Those omega-3 fatty acids can lower your blood pressure and decrease your chance of developing blood clots.
Step 3
Exercise every day, no excuses. As long as your doctors are OK with it, get between 30 and 60 minutes of exercise per day, whether it is swimming, jogging or just walking around the block. If you have problems exercising for extended periods of time, you can break your exercise routines up into several 10 minutes sessions throughout the day. The extra calories burned through exercise can lead to weight loss, and losing as little as 5 to 10 lbs. can lower your cholesterol.
Tips and Warnings
- Set realistic exercise goals for yourself, and find a workout buddy. It can be difficult staying motivated over several months, and it may be even longer than that before you start seeing results. A workout buddy can come get you out of bed or off the couch when you just don't want to go out, and you can do the same for them.
- Don't do anything too vigorously, especially if it has been years since you have gotten any regular exercise. Consult with your physician beforehand. Find out exactly how hard you should be working out to get ideal results. Set some follow up appointments for every three months to track progress, and to see if it's OK for you to up your regimen's intensity.
