How to Lower Cholesterol for a Pre-Diabetic

High cholesterol levels accompanied with being a pre-diabetic results in a high risk of developing heart disease. The goal in reducing cholesterol is to lower "bad" LDL cholesterol and raise "good" HDL cholesterol. Changing your lifestyle is the biggest part of combating cholesterol and pre-diabetes. Cholesterol-lowering medication, such as Lipitor, can only do so much and will still leave a high risk for developing diabetes.

Instructions

• 1

  Change your diet to make the biggest impact on your cholesterol levels and lower the chance of developing diabetes. You should eat a diet low in saturated fat and limit your cholesterol intake to 200mg per day. Because you are at risk for diabetes, stay away from sugar and refined carbohydrates found in most processed foods. Aim at eating a well-balanced diet with whole grains, fruits and vegetables, and switch from unhealthy fats to healthy monounsaturated fat, which is found in olive oil. Losing weight is a way to combat high cholesterol and insulin resistance.

• 2

  Exercise for at least 30 minutes per day five to seven days per week. Make exercise fun and enjoyable by switching your activities. You can walk or jog outside with a friend, use cardio equipment in a gym or play sports. The goal is to raise your heart rate for at least 30 minutes and to engage in physical activity regularly. You should exercise for at least 12 weeks to see a positive result in your cholesterol levels.

• 3

  Consider taking a niacin supplement. Niacin is a B-vitamin commonly used to raise levels of HDL cholesterol. HDL helps reduce the amount of LDL cholesterol in the blood stream. You can take an over-the-counter niacin supplement or get a prescription for a higher dose of niacin from your doctor. Niacin supplements can have negative side effects of taken with a statin, so talk to your doctor before taking niacin.