Cholesterol is a natural substance is both good and bad for your body. Your body produces and uses cholesterol to create a type of acid called bile that is involved in digestion. But too much cholesterol in your body can cause a host of cardiovascular complications. You can use several methods to get your high cholesterol levels out of the danger zone.
Diet Programs
While your body does make some of its own cholesterol, much of the cholesterol in your system comes from food. If your doctor suspects that poor food choices are contributing to your high cholesterol problem, he may suggest making some slight changes to your diet. Start off by decreasing your intake of unhealthy saturated fats and trans fats. According to MayoClinic.com, a maximum of 10 percent of your daily calorie intake should come from saturated or trans fat. Avoid foods with high dietary cholesterol, such as eggs, organ meat products and whole milk. Instead, eat foods that are high in natural cholesterol-lowering substances like omega-3 fatty acids, fiber and whole grains. This includes fruits, vegetables, salmon and whole-grain bread.
Exercise
Exercise is another way to lower high cholesterol levels. Your doctor may suggest a weekly exercise regimen if excessive weight is contributing to your cholesterol problem. According to MayoClinic.com, exercising regularly can help bring down your cholesterol levels even if you are not overweight. Exercise can help raise your levels of desirable high-density lipoprotein, or HDL, cholesterol. MayoClinic.com recommends getting 30 minutes to an hour of moderate exercise each day to help promote healthy cholesterol levels.
Medications
Doctors can prescribe medications to lower high cholesterol levels. According to the American Heart Association, common cholesterol-lowering medications include resins, fibrates and statins. Resins work by encouraging your body to dispose of its excess cholesterol content. Resins work best at lowering levels of undesirable low-density lipoprotein, or LDL, cholesterol. Fibrates work to reduce high unhealthy triglyceride levels. Fibrates are least effective at lowering LDL cholesterol levels. Statins work in your liver to decrease the amount of cholesterol your body produces. Statins are most effective at lowering LDL cholesterol but may also be somewhat effective at reducing triglyceride levels.
Supplements
Some doctors direct patients with high cholesterol to take cholesterol-lowering supplements. MayoClinic.com lists several supplements that may potentially help lower high cholesterol levels. These include green tea extract, barley, ground flaxseed, fish oil, oat bran, sitostanol and blond psyllium. Do not take any supplements to treat high cholesterol without first consulting your doctor, as they can potentially interact with other medications.
Smoking Cessation
If you are a smoker who suffers from high cholesterol, one of the most important steps you can take to lower your cholesterol levels is to stop smoking. According to the American Heart Association, smoking cigarettes can decrease your levels of desirable HDL cholesterol and raise your levels of undesirable LDL cholesterol. Talk to your doctor about different products and programs that are available to help you quit.
