High cholesterol is a condition that is quite common in adults, especially as we age. If left untreated it can cause serious health problems such as heart disease and stroke. Fortunately, high cholesterol can be reversed with treatment including medication, changes to one’s daily diet, and increasing daily activity and exercise.
Regular cholesterol testing is the best way to diagnose, monitor, and manage high cholesterol to avoid serious complications in the future.
While medication can help improve cholesterol, many people prefer to start with healthy lifestyle changes to lower high cholesterol. If cholesterol levels are within a medium to high range, the ideal way to manage and lower cholesterol is by making diet and lifestyle changes.
In this article, we will reveal the top five tips for lowering cholesterol levels with simple lifestyle changes.
Tips For Managing High Cholesterol Through Diet and Lifestyle Changes
1. A few changes in your diet can reduce cholesterol and improve your heart health.
You should:
- Reduce saturated fats such as red meat and full dairy products.
- Eat foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids such as fish.
- Increase soluble fiber which is found in foods such as apples, pears, Brussels sprouts, kidney beans, and oatmeal.
- Add whey protein to your diet by adding whey protein powder to smoothies.
2. Exercise for at least 30 minutes five times a week and increase your overall physical activity.
Consider:
- Taking a brisk daily walk before work to start the day off feeling great.
- Riding your bike to work.
- Learning a new sport, activity, or exercise such as tennis, kayaking, yoga, etc.
- To stay motivated, join a gym or exercise class or find an exercise buddy.
3. Quit smoking to prevent heart disease.
4. Lose weight to improve overall health.
5. Take a cholesterol test regularly to monitor progress and manage levels.
If lifestyle changes aren’t enough …
Sometimes the above lifestyle changes may not be enough to improve cholesterol levels fast enough if they are excessively high. If your GP still recommends medication to help lower your cholesterol, take it as prescribed while continuing your new healthy habits. Another benefit of implementing positive lifestyle changes is that you can keep your medication dose low.
Check your cholesterol levels frequently by getting a cholesterol blood test at your local Intrigue Health pharmacy or you opt for a home cholesterol test. Cholesterol test kits for home testing can be purchased online or in-store from any of our Intrigue health pharmacies in Dartford, Longfield, Gravesend & Bexley.
