There are many types of lipids in your body. But you’ve probably mostly heard about the main ones commonly referred to as “good” and “bad” cholesterol.
Good cholesterol, or high-density lipoprotein (HDL), carries cholesterol to your liver to keep proper cholesterol levels. Without HDL, cholesterol would build up in your blood and never make it to your liver. Bad cholesterol, or low-density lipoprotein (LDL), causes plaque to form in your blood, raising your risk for heart disease.
When you have too much LDL in your body, it’s known as high cholesterol or hyperlipidemia. This condition often doesn’t present with symptoms until it’s very serious, and it can typically only be detected through routine blood testing.
If you’ve been diagnosed with high cholesterol or are at risk for developing it, our team led by Elaine Phuah, DO, MBA, FACOI, and Leon Tio, DO, MA, FACOI, at Clover Internal Medicine Associates wants you to understand how vital it is for you to take steps to lower it. So we propose some lifestyle changes you can make to effectively lower your cholesterol and improve your health.
One of the best things you can do to lower your cholesterol is to make healthy eating choices. There are many foods out there that can actively lower cholesterol by either pulling bad cholesterol out of your body or keeping bad cholesterol from entering your bloodstream.
Focus on incorporating these types of foods to work on lowering cholesterol:
You’ll also need to eliminate all foods high in trans fats, such as heavily processed crackers and cookies or fast food, while also severely limiting saturated fats found in whole dairy and red meats.
Exercise, especially when combined with a nutritious diet, can help you lose weight while also lowering bad cholesterol levels and raising good cholesterol levels. For optimum results, you should aim to get around 30 minutes of exercise for five days a week.
This can be as simple as biking to work or taking a brisk walk over a lunch break. Just make sure you find something you enjoy doing so it can be more sustainable. You may even want to find an exercise partner or join a workout group.
Heavy smoking and alcohol consumption can tank your good cholesterol and raise your bad cholesterol. If you smoke or drink more than two alcoholic beverages every day, your cholesterol levels will be affected.
Dropping tobacco products and scaling back significantly on alcohol can do wonders for your cholesterol levels, even within a few months of cutting out these habits.
Although making all these lifestyle changes will lower your cholesterol, in some cases, it won’t be quite enough. That’s why you’ll still need to see our team at Clover Internal Medicine Associates regularly, to check your cholesterol levels and see if other interventions are needed.
Sometimes medications are needed right alongside the lifestyle changes. It’s important to note, though, that the more you focus on healthy habits, the less medication you’ll need.
To get your cholesterol levels checked, schedule an appointment with us by calling our Fort Worth, Texas, office or booking online today.
