How to Lower Cholesterol to Reduce the Risk of TIA or Stroke

Cholesterol is a waxy, fat-like substance that is made by the human body and is also present in many foods. While the body needs cholesterol to form cell membranes and perform other bodily functions, too much of it becomes a problem. When you have excess cholesterol in your blood, it can build up on the walls of your arteries, restricting blood flow and leading to a transient ischemic attack (TIA) or full-blown stroke. To reduce your your risk of this happening, you need to make changes to reduce your cholesterol levels.

Instructions

• 1

  Lose weight. The Mayo Clinic says even moderate weight loss, 5 to 10 lbs., can lower your cholesterol levels. Losing weight can also reduce other risk factors for stroke and TIA.

• 2

  Change your diet. Since one of the biggest contributors to high cholesterol is food, you can easily lower your levels by eating right. This includes avoiding saturated and trans fats, eating whole grains, fruits and vegetables for fiber, and eating more fatty fish and nuts to get good fats such as omega-3 and monounsaturated fat.

• 3

  Get your heart rate up. The Mayo Clinic says regular exercise can help lower your cholesterol levels. Get at least 30 minutes of moderate exercise five days a week. Good exercises include brisk walking, jogging, swimming and riding a bike.

• 4

  Drink a moderate amount of alcohol. The Mayo Clinic says there has been some research linking moderate alcohol intake (one drink a day for women, two for men) to an increase in high-density lipoproteins, considered the "good" cholesterol. However, the Mayo Clinic does not recommend you start drinking if you don't already.

• 5

  Quit smoking. Cutting out cigarettes has also been shown to increase HDL cholesterol, according to the Mayo Clinic. And quitting smoking also has other positive effects, such as lowering blood pressure and lowering your risk for heart disease.

• 6

  Take medication. If lifestyle changes aren't doing enough to lower your cholesterol levels, your doctor can put you on a cholesterol-lowering medication. These include statins, cholesterol absorption inhibitors and fibrates.