When your doctor tells you that you have high cholesterol, it can be frightening as well as confusing. High cholesterol increases your risk of heart disease and heart attack, so it is important to reduce your numbers to normal ranges. Fortunately, some healthy changes in your lifestyle habits can help decrease your cholesterol levels, as well as your risk of heart disease.
The Right Diet
When you have high cholesterol, it is important to focus on the amount and types of fat that you eat. Your total fat intake, which includes unsaturated fat, saturated fat and trans fat, should fall between 25 to 35 percent of your daily calorie intake. It is especially important to keep saturated fat intake below 7 percent of calories and try to avoid trans fat completely. You should also avoid dietary cholesterol as much as possible, keeping intake below 200 mg per day.
In addition to avoiding unhealthy foods, it is important to include healthy foods. Soluble fiber prevents the absorption of cholesterol in the digestive tract and helps lower your blood cholesterol. Plant sterols, which are found in fruits and vegetables, also work like soluble fiber so include them as well.
Exercise
Regular exercise not only lowers your bad cholesterol levels, but also increases your good cholesterol. According to the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, 60 minutes of moderate-intensity cardiovascular exercise has cholesterol-lowering benefits. The more exercise you do, the more you will benefit.
No More Bad Habits
While moderate alcohol consumption is generally considered safe, drinking too much alcohol can have detrimental effects on your cholesterol level. If you have high cholesterol, limiting the amount of alcohol you drink helps decrease your levels. The definition of alcohol moderation differs based on sex. For men, moderate alcohol consumption is defined as no more than two drinks per day, while women should stick with one.
Cigarette smoke does not directly increase your cholesterol levels, but it does significantly damage your arteries, increasing the likelihood of experiencing complications. If you are a smoker, quit.
Medicine
Most people benefit tremendously from following healthy lifestyle habits. Some people, however, cannot lower cholesterol levels through diet and exercise alone. If that describes you, your doctor may prescribe a cholesterol medication, or a combination of medications, to help you lower your levels.
If your doctor does prescribe medication, it is important not to reinstate your old bad habits. Stick with your new lifestyle changes to reap the greatest cholesterol-lowering benefit.
