Improve Your Cholesterol Level

There are three ways you can make your cholesterol levels better:

Diet, weight control and exercise.
Diet:

Eat more vegetables, fruits and whole grains, and use low or non-fat dairy products. You should also substitute olive oil, grapeseed, canola or safflower oil for butter, lard or solid sticks of margarine. Avoid alcohol and sugary foods, as well as foods that contain saturated, hydrogenated, partially hydrogenated fats or transfats. Read food labels to make healthy decisions.





Weight control:

Maintain a healthy weight. Extra weight can increase your blood pressure, level of bad cholesterol and your chance of developing diabetes. Even reducing your weight by 10 percent can improve your health.



Exercise:

Get 30 minutes of exercise most days of the week. Using your large muscles (also called aerobic exercise) can result in weight loss, better cholesterol levels and a more normal blood sugar. Examples of aerobic exercises include brisk walking, bicycling, hiking and swimming. You should talk with your doctor before starting an exercise program.

Family history has a very strong influence on your cholesterol levels. It's possible that you can follow all these suggestions and still need to take cholesterol-lowering medication. Talk with your doctor about your cholesterol levels. This will help you understand your cholesterol results and how to reach your goals.

Your health is your most important asset, and it's never too late to make positive changes.