Control your cholesterol
High blood cholesterol is a major risk factor for coronary artery disease that can be controlled. Your total cholesterol level is made up of "bad" LDL cholesterol and "good" HDL cholesterol. If you have a high LDL cholesterol level, you have a higher risk of coronary artery disease. If you have a low HDL cholesterol level, you have a higher risk of coronary artery disease.
Cholesterol levels are partly affected by diet and lifestyle factors, both of which can be changed to lower cholesterol levels. Changing your diet and lifestyle can be very effective in lowering cholesterol.
- Eat a low-fat diet with minimal amounts of saturated fats. Meat, cheese, and dairy products are the major sources of saturated fat. Limit your meat intake to only occasional servings of lean beef and chicken or turkey with the skin removed. A low-fat diet can also help you lose weight, which can help control blood pressure too. The Therapeutic Lifestyle Changes (TLC) diet is recommended for people with high cholesterol by the National Cholesterol Education Program of the U.S. National Institutes of Health. The TLC diet recommendations are similar to those of Canada's Food Guide to Healthy Eating
.
- Increase your intake of fibre, which can lower cholesterol. Fibre is found in legumes (beans), whole-grain breads and cereals, and fresh vegetables.
- Get enough exercise. Exercise can help control cholesterol, blood pressure, and blood sugar (important if you have diabetes or a family history of diabetes). Aim for at least 30 minutes of moderate exercise (walking, gardening, easy bicycling) on most, preferably all, days of the week.
Overall, the evidence supports lowering cholesterol as a step that is good for almost everybody (especially people with heart disease and people at risk for heart disease). It can help lower the risk of heart attack, stroke, and death in many people who have average to high cholesterol levels.1
Many people need medication in addition to diet and lifestyle changes to reach ideal cholesterol levels.
For more information, see the topic High Cholesterol.
| Author: | Douglas Dana Robin Parks, MS | Last Updated: September 21, 2007 |
| Medical Review: | Anne C. Poinier, MD - Internal Medicine Caroline S. Rhoads, MD - Internal Medicine Stephen Fort, MD, MRCP, FRCPC - Interventional Cardiology Robert A. Kloner, MD, PhD - Cardiology Ruth Schneider, MPH, RD - Diet and Nutrition | |
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