More than 100 million Americans have cholesterol levels that are higher than the recommended 200 mg/dL, and more than one-third of those 100 million have levels higher than 240 mg/dL, according to the American Heart Association. Although heredity plays a role in cholesterol levels, you can reduce your cholesterol levels through dietary changes and regular exercise.
About Cholesterol
Your body makes cholesterol primarily in the liver. In addition to the cholesterol your body produces, many foods you eat throughout the day contain cholesterol. When your doctor orders a cholesterol test, she is often testing your high- and low-density lipoproteins, total cholesterol and most times, triglycerides. Healthy cholesterol levels are below 200 mg/dL for total cholesterol, high-density lipoproteins above 50 mg/dL and 40 mg/dL for women and men, respectively, and low-density lipoprotein levels under 129 mg/dL. High levels of HDL have a protective effect on your heart health, while high levels of "bad" LDL cholesterol may raise your risk of heart disease.
Importance of Diet
What you eat is a major contributor to your cholesterol levels. Reducing your cholesterol intake through limiting your consumption of saturated fats and foods high in cholesterol is a relatively simple dietary change. Beef, butter, pork sausage, full-fat dairy and egg yolks all contain saturated fats and dietary cholesterol. You should limit your saturated fat intake to a maximum of 7 percent of your daily calories to help your cholesterol levels. On a 1,700-calorie diet, eat no more than 119 calories or just 13 g of saturated fat. Additionally, keep your dietary cholesterol intake under 200 mg. Read the labels on processed foods and keep a tally of how many milligrams of cholesterol you eat each day.
Exercise
Exercise not only helps your heart, but you may be able to reduce your cholesterol and triglyceride levels through intensive exercise. Exercise in concert with diet may help you avoid medication. Commit to a minimum of 20 minutes of moderately intense aerobic exercise almost daily. The American Council on Exercise indicates that you may see your cholesterol level decrease by up to 20 percent within four months of regular exercise. Effective exercises include very brisk walking, jogging, running, aerobic dance classes, bicycling and swimming.
Strategies
Reduce the amount of cholesterol and saturated fats in the foods you cook by steaming vegetables rather than stir-frying in butter, eating skinless poultry rather than beef, choosing low-fat soups and cheeses and substituting vegetarian meals for meat-based meals once or twice a week. Eat more whole, natural foods than processed foods to avoid saturated and trans fats. If you eat at a restaurant, do not eat fried meats, but choose grilled seafood, breads without butter or main dish salads with little or no dressing.
References
- American Heart Association: Cholesterol Statistics
- American Heart Association; About Cholesterol; Jan. 20, 2011
- American Heart Association; What Your Cholesterol Levels Mean; Feb. 25, 2011
- American Heart Association: Fat
- American Council on Exercise; Managing Cholesterol with Exercise; Ralph La Forge; 2001
