Lower your cholesterol -- starting now
Make it your mission to get your cholesterol checked. Do it as soon as you can, because time is a factor here. High cholesterol is a major contributer to cardiovascular disease, heart attack, and stroke and if you know your cholesterol numbers are starting to lead you down a dangerous path, there is something you can do about it.You can eat better. You can lose weight. You can exercise. For some, medication may be necessary. In other cases, a combination of all four is key.
Since we're all about eating right and exercising well here at That's Fit, we say you ought to do these few things.
- Cut down on saturated fat and trans fats and eat good fats in moderation -- they still have lots of calories.
- Limit calories -- eating too much can lead to weight gain, which increases your risk of high cholesterol.
- Eat sparingly all high cholesterol foods, like egg yolks, shrimp, and organ meats.
- Consider a Mediterranean-style diet, which is low in saturated and trans fats and allows for a healthy intake of unsaturated fats from fish and nuts.
- Maintain a healthy weight.
- Get 30 to 60 minutes of exercise most days of the week -- while it won't lower your cholesterol on its own, it can keep your weight down and reduce other cardiovascular risks.
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