Do Your Part to Lower Your Cholesterol

 

 

 

 

You’ve just come home from your annual checkup, and this time, the doctor says your blood cholesterol levels are a little high. There’s no reason to panic -- more than 30% of Americans have the same problem. But too much of the fat-like substance can build up in your arteries, slowing blood flow, raising the likelihood of dangerous blood clots, and putting you at greater risk for heart disease, heart attack, and stroke.

Yes, there are medications that can help you bring your levels to a healthier range. But even if your doctor prescribes one for you, you still need to make some adjustments in your everyday life to get your cholesterol under control.

So where do you start?

Diet Is Key

The first thing you need to do to improve your body’s health is to start changing what you put into it. You can lower your cholesterol by swapping out certain foods for healthier choices.

Start by loading your plate with plant-based foods, like fruits, vegetables, whole-grains, and beans. These are not only low in cholesterol, but they are high in fiber, which keeps things moving through your digestive tract. Fish, nuts, low-fat dairy, and lean poultry are good choices, too.

Saturated fat and trans fats increase the level of cholesterol in your blood. You find them in meat, skin-on poultry, full-fat dairy products, and in many processed foods.  To make sure you’re not getting too much of them, check out the Nutrition Facts label on a food’s package. Along with the listed amounts of saturated and trans fats, look at the list of ingredients. If it says “partially hydrogenated oil,” the food has trans fats.

A balanced diet also will help you manage your weight, which is another part of your risk for heart disease.

Good Fat and Good Cholesterol

Keep in mind that “fat” and “cholesterol” are not always bad words. Monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats found in fish and nuts help reduce LDL, the so-called “bad cholesterol,” in your blood.

Some of these foods also boost HDL, the “good cholesterol,” which flows through your bloodstream and removes LDL.