High cholesterol significantly increases your risk for heart disease, the leading cause of death for men and women in the United States. To bring down your cholesterol fast, you'll need to make dietary and lifestyle changes while also taking medication to treat high cholesterol. Consult your doctor before making changes to your diet or activity level, especially if you suffer from an existing medical condition that makes food changes or exercise unsafe.
Step 1
Reduce the total amount of fat and cholesterol in your diet, with special care to avoid as much trans and saturated fat as possible. Limit your consumption of dairy, meat and oil, or choose low-fat versions of these foods.
Step 2
Eat plenty of high-fiber foods to lower your bad cholesterol levels. Soluble fiber, such as that found in oatmeal, barley and many beans and fruit, reduces the absorption of cholesterol. Try to include at least one whole grain or raw fruit or vegetable with every meal.
Step 3
Cook fish high in omega-3 fatty acids at least twice each week in place of high-cholesterol red meat. Grill or bake the fish to reduce the amount of unhealthy fat in your diet.
Step 4
Snack on almonds, walnuts and other nuts high in polyunsaturated fatty acids. Nuts promote blood vessel health and can lower cholesterol levels. Keep in mind that nuts are often high in calories and may not be appropriate if you are on a low-calorie diet.
Step 5
Substitute healthy olive oil for unhealthy cooking oils and high-fat marinades and salad dressings. Olive oil contains antioxidants that lower your bad cholesterol without lowering your good cholesterol.
Step 6
Purchase foods fortified with plant stanols or sterols, substances that effectively block cholesterol absorption. Orange juice, margarines and some yogurts are now fortified with these substances.
Step 7
Exercise for at least 30 minutes on most days of the week to lower your cholesterol. Exercise offers the added benefits of improving your heart health and reducing your weight. Brisk walking and swimming are healthy exercise options suitable for most people.
Step 8
Take a cholesterol-lowering medication, per your doctor's instructions. Statins control cholesterol production inside the body, while bile acid resins bind with bile acids to help eliminate cholesterol in the stool. Ezetimibe, a medication that interferes with cholesterol absorption, can lower bad cholesterol levels by as much as 25 percent. Fibrates and niacin are also beneficial.
Tips and Warnings
- According to the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute, desirable total cholesterol levels should be below 200 mg/dL, while levels between 200 and 239 mg/dL are considered borderline high. Total cholesterol levels higher than 240 mg/dL are high and you should develop a plan with your doctor to bring them down fast.
