How to Watch My Cholestrol

High cholesterol can lead to heart disease such as heart attack and stroke. Monitoring cholesterol levels is very important, particularly as we age and become less active. Lowering cholesterol levels can be achieved by watching what we eat and getting regular exercise.

Instructions

• 1

  Make a doctor's appointment. Your doctor will give a lipid panel cholesterol blood test to determine the levels of HDL, or good cholesterol, and LDL, or bad cholesterol, along with triglicerides in your system. Your doctor will be able to give you details on where these numbers should be. Discuss a diet and exercise program with your doctor.

• 2

  Create an exercise program and stick with it. This can be going to the gym three times a week or walking the dog for an hour each day. The American Heart Association even suggests that active video games such as the Nintendo Wii fitness games system can be part of a healthy exercise program.

• 3

  Avoid saturated fats. Use natural oils such as pressed olive oil and flax seed oil for cooking. Good sources of fat are found in certain nuts like walnuts and almonds. Fats from fish such as tuna and salmon can help lower LDL levels in the blood.

• 4

  Reduce trans fat intake. Trans fats offer no nutritional value, and increase LDL levels. Fast food should be avoided as many fast food companies use saturated and trans fats in their products. Read the labels of the food you buy. Anything with partial hydrogenated should be avoided.

• 5

  Follow up with your doctor to track your progress. If diet and exercise are not enough, prescription medications may ordered by your doctor.