High Cholesterol: Lifestyle Management

The main way to lower high cholesterol levels is through lifestyle management. The most important changes include:

• Diet, recommending:
  • Limiting the amount of saturated fat, trans fat, and cholesterol you eat.
  • Eating only enough calories to achieve or maintain a healthy weight.
  • Increasing the soluble fiber in your diet. For example, oatmeal, kidney beans, and apples are good sources of soluble fiber.
  • Adding cholesterol-lowering foods, such as margarines that contain plant sterol or stanol esters that can help lower cholesterol.

• Weight management:
  • Losing weight if you are overweight can help lower LDL. Weight management is especially important for those with a group of risk factors that includes raised triglyceride and/or reduced HDL levels and being overweight with a large waist measurement (40 inches or more for men and 35 inches or more for women). This is called metabolic syndrome and it raises your risk for getting heart disease.
• Physical activity:
  • Regular physical activity is recommended for everyone. It can help raise HDL levels and lower LDL levels, and is especially important for those with raised triglyceride and/or reduced HDL levels who are overweight with a large waist measurement. Aim for at least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity activity, such as brisk walking, on most, and preferably all, days of the week.

This information has been adapted from the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute.