High cholesterol may not cause noticeable symptoms, but it can lead to a host of serious health problems, including heart disease, heart attack, and stroke. If your doctor tells you you have high cholesterol, you should follow their advice on how to lower it.
If you’re one of the 71 million people in the United States with high cholesterol, you might not need to take medication to get back to a normal cholesterol range. Board-certified internist and cardiologist Jeffrey H. Graf, MD, can help you modify your diet and lifestyle at his private practice on the Upper East Side of Manhattan, New York.
Start lowering or managing your cholesterol today by taking these five steps:
Despite what you might think, you do need some fat in your diet because your body uses it for purposes like cell function and energy. However, some dietary fats are detrimental to your health.
If you have high cholesterol or you want to keep your cholesterol within a healthy range, stay away from fats in these categories:
You don’t have to cut out saturated fat entirely, but you should eat less of it if you have high cholesterol. You can find saturated fats in red meat, eggs, and full-fat dairy products like whole milk.
Foods like shortening and many store-bought pastries have a type of fat called trans fat. Trans fat raises your cholesterol, so you should avoid it as much as possible.
Fiber is a type of carbohydrate that helps with digestion. Foods rich in soluble fiber help you absorb less fat from your diet, which in turn can help lower your cholesterol. Aim to eat more foods rich in soluble fiber, such as:
Dr. Graf can tell you more about fibrous foods for lowering cholesterol.
Smoking cigarettes raises both your blood pressure and your cholesterol. If you have high cholesterol or you’re at risk, curbing your smoking habit is a quick and effective way to support your cardiovascular health.
You don’t need to give up alcohol entirely unless you want to, but drinking less of it can help lower your cholesterol. While drinking in moderation has been linked to higher levels of “good” cholesterol, too much drinking is linked to high levels of “bad” cholesterol and other cardiovascular health concerns.
Physical activity offers a host of cardiovascular benefits. It’s especially important to find time to exercise if you’re stationary for most of the day — for example, if you work at a desk job.
Getting more physical activity and modifying your diet could also help you manage your weight, which is yet another step in lowering or managing your cholesterol levels.
Even if you don’t have time or money for a gym membership, you can get more movement in your day by making small changes like parking farther away or using the stairs instead of the elevator.
Dr. Graf can measure your cholesterol and give you personalized advice on how to manage it. He may prescribe cholesterol-lowering medications in some cases. Call the office or request an appointment online today.
