If your latest cholesterol tests reveal results above the generally acceptable level of 200 mg/dL -- milligrams per deciliter of blood -- you may wonder how you can lower your numbers through diet and how long it might take. Anecdotal evidence suggests you could successfully lower cholesterol within a month -- or never -- while a clinical trial points to the possibility of enjoying noticeable improvement within three months.
Factors Affecting Cholesterol
It makes sense trying to lower your cholesterol through diet and lifestyle changes as your efforts could relieve you of the cost and side effects of taking medication such as statins. But your cholesterol levels depend on a variety of factors, only some within your control. Your age, gender and family history of cholesterol and heart problems play roles, and your best efforts may prove no match for these conditions. Jane Brody, a health writer at "The New York Times," made a diligent and valiant effort to lower her cholesterol through diet and exercise before reluctantly consenting to take medication. But Thomas Burton, a staff writer for "The Wall Street Journal" lowered his low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, the "bad" cholesterol from 169 to 114 in nine months through changes in his diet and exercise habits.
Cholesterol Study
D.J. Jenkins, a researcher at the Clinical Nutrition and Risk Factor Modification Center in Toronto, Canada, led a study to determine the effectiveness of dietary changes in lowering cholesterol levels. Some participants followed a diet that included plant sterols, almonds, fiber and soy for one year. Others took statins, a cholesterol-lowering medication. People who adhered to the prescribed diet reduced their cholesterol by more than 14 percent after three months and nearly 32 percent of the dieters reduced their cholesterol by more than 20 percent within a year, the "American Journal of Clinical Nutrition" reports.
Foods to Lower Cholesterol
If you want to try to achieve the results realized by successful participants in Jenkins' study, you can find plant sterols in some types of margarine, yogurt drinks and orange juice. MayoClinic.com suggests that including 2 grams of plant sterols in your daily diet can help you reduce your cholesterol levels by 10 percent. Almonds and other nuts also contain heart-healthy oils. Include a handful -- about 1 1/2 oz. -- in your daily diet. Soy makes a good alternative to meat protein because it contains no cholesterol and little saturated fat. A 1/2 cup serving of tofu contains 2 grams of saturated fat. A 3 1/2 oz. serving of lean ground beef contains 7 grams of saturated fat plus 78 mg of cholesterol.
Considerations
A diet to reduce your cholesterol should limit daily cholesterol to between 200 mg and 300 mg, saturated fat to between 16 grams and 22 grams and trans fat to 2 grams. Animal products provide the main source of both cholesterol and saturated fat. Margarine and shortening contain trans fat. You should also add fiber to your diet -- about 25 grams a day for women and 38 grams a day for men. Your cholesterol levels did not elevate overnight and may not drop quickly. Work with your doctor to form a diet plan -- and a timetable -- for lowering cholesterol that meets your needs.
References
- "American Journal of Clinical Nutrition"; Assessment of the Longer-Term Effects of a Dietary Portfolio of Cholesterol-Lowering Foods in Hypercholesterolemia; D.J. Jenkins, et al.; March 2006
- "The New York Times"; Eating Your Way to Lower Cholesterol; Tara Parker-Hope; Jan. 23, 2008
- Dr. John La Puma; A Reporter Eats His Way to Lower Cholesterol; Thomas Burton; July 23 2003
- Mayo Clinic; Cholesterol: Top Five Foods to Lower Your Numbers; May 7, 2010
- University of California San Francisco Medical Center; Cholesterol Content of Foods; Feb. 2, 2011
- Mayo Clinic; Healthy Diet: End the Guesswork With These Nutrition Guidelines; February 2011
