High cholesterol can strike at any age, increasing your risk for heart disease, heart attack and stroke. To decrease these risks, it is necessary to keep your cholesterol within a healthy range. It is never too late to prevent high cholesterol and preserve your health, from dietary changes such as reducing the fat in your diet to lifestyle changes such as increasing your physical activity. All it takes is a solid desire from you to win back your health.
Step 1
Take the time to watch your weight. Obesity and high cholesterol go hand in hand. When one exists, so does the other. Visit your doctor and ask him to assess your weight. Once you know your target range make the effort to stay within this area by eating a healthy diet and staying physically active.
Step 2
Make the time for exercise. Exercise helps you maintain a healthy weight and keeps your cholesterol levels in check at the same time. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends 30 minutes a day, most days of the week. Choose activities you enjoy to ensure you stick with it.
Step 3
Eat a healthy diet. Foods high in saturated fat, trans fat and cholesterol raise your cholesterol levels. Saturated fats include red meat, processed meats such as bacon and sausage and whole-fat dairy products. Trans fats hide in cookies, cakes, potato chips and snack crackers. Together, these fats should comprise no more than 7 percent of your total daily calories. Reduce your cholesterol consumption to 300mg per day. Reading food labels helps you accomplish this.
Step 4
Take a bite of fish. Herring, mackerel, salmon, albacore tuna, lake trout and halibut contain an oil known as omega-3 fatty acid. Eating three to four servings of these fish each week -- especially in place of high-fat red meat -- both lowers your cholesterol and helps prevent it from increasing.
Step 5
Take your medication. If you take a cholesterol-lowering medication, continue with your treatment even if your cholesterol is within a healthy range. In many cases, these drugs are a lifelong treatment. If you discontinue use, your cholesterol will rise again. Do not make any changes unless your doctor orders it.
