How to Lower a Cholesterol Level

There are a number of things people who have high cholesterol can do to lower it. High cholesterol is associated with heart disease and stroke, so it's important to keep cholesterol levels reduced to avoid health problems. Maintaining a proper diet, exercising, and losing weight are all good examples of what can lower your cholesterol level. In some cases, this isn't enough and medication might have to be prescribed.

Instructions

• 1

  Maintain a healthy diet. Eat a diet that replaces "bad" cholesterol with good lipoproteins. To do this, you'll have to cut back on trans-fat foods and saturated fats such as butter, cheese, fried foods and baked goods. Replace these foods with lean meats, fresh vegetables, whole grains, and fruits.

• 2

  Exercise regularly. Exercise will lower triglycerides while improving the "good" cholesterol level in your body. Aerobic exercise, walking, or any exercise that increases the heart rate is a good choice.

• 3

  Lose weight if needed. Being overweight raises your chance of having high cholesterol. If you lose the unwanted weight, you can lower your "bad "cholesterol level and also your triglycerides. The only proven way to weight loss is through a healthier diet and exercise. Both are also shown to lower cholesterol on their own.

• 4

  Discuss the possibility of taking medication with your doctor. There are a number of medications available that work very well in reducing cholesterol levels. It's especially important that people with known heart disease or diabetes take medication regularly. Most people do quite well with a lifestyle change in conjunction with medication and go on to live healthy lives.

• 5

  Know and understand the difference between "good" and "bad" cholesterol. Good cholesterol is called HDL, which stands for high-density lipoprotein. The reason for the high density is because it has ample protein and limited fat. This is the type of cholesterol that can be easily eliminated from the body. LDL cholesterol is the bad kind. The protein is limited and the fat is excessive. LDL cannot be eliminated so it's stored in your arteries, causing blockages and putting you at risk for heart disease.