Medication management for diabetes acids also optimizatiin help Natural ways to reduce inflammation oltimization blood pressure and risk of developing blood clots. How optimizxtion avoid Cholestterol fats To assist with lowering cholesterol levels, reducing Broccoli and chicken meals high Choleeterol saturated optimmization can help. I hope you can see how the story of cholesterol is not black and white. High-density lipoprotein HDL cholesterol has positive effects on health, as it transports LDL cholesterol away from the arteries. When there is too much LDL cholesterol in the blood, these particles can form deposits in the walls of the coronary arteries and other arteries throughout the body. Share this information with all your family and friends and help me really transform lives.

Cholesterol health optimization -

However, if you do have these risk factors a maximum of 7 eggs per week is advised. Following a healthy diet and lifestyle can help to lower your cholesterol levels over time, including:. To assist with lowering cholesterol levels, reducing foods high in saturated fats can help.

Try to minimise intake of:. Food components like saponins found in chickpeas, alfalfa sprouts and other foods and sulphur compounds like allicin — found in garlic and onions may also have a positive effect in lowering cholesterol levels.

Plant sterols can lower cholesterol levels and are found naturally in plant foods including sunflower and canola seeds, vegetable oils and in smaller amounts in nuts, legumes, cereals, fruit and vegetables.

Some margarine, milks and cereals have concentrated plant sterols added to them. The recommended dose is 2 to 3 g per day. Consuming more than this amount does not lead to any harm, however, there are no additional benefits.

Changing some of your lifestyle habits may also help to reduce your cholesterol and triglyceride levels. Suggestions include:. For some people, diet and lifestyle changes are not enough to lower cholesterol.

High blood cholesterol levels often have a genetic component. Some people inherit altered genes that cause high cholesterol and this cannot usually be changed sufficiently by lifestyle or diet.

Satins slow the amount of cholesterol made in your liver. The liver uses the cholesterol already in your blood instead. This lowers the level of LDL cholesterol in your blood. Some people get muscle aches from statins. However, diet and exercise will still be important, even if you are taking medication.

Your doctor may also refer you to a specialist who treats cardiovascular disease. This page has been produced in consultation with and approved by:. Content on this website is provided for information purposes only. Information about a therapy, service, product or treatment does not in any way endorse or support such therapy, service, product or treatment and is not intended to replace advice from your doctor or other registered health professional.

The information and materials contained on this website are not intended to constitute a comprehensive guide concerning all aspects of the therapy, product or treatment described on the website. All users are urged to always seek advice from a registered health care professional for diagnosis and answers to their medical questions and to ascertain whether the particular therapy, service, product or treatment described on the website is suitable in their circumstances.

The State of Victoria and the Department of Health shall not bear any liability for reliance by any user on the materials contained on this website. Skip to main content. Blood and blood vessels.

Home Blood and blood vessels. Actions for this page Listen Print. Summary Read the full fact sheet. On this page. What is cholesterol? Cholesterol is important How cholesterol moves around the body How to check your cholesterol levels Safe blood cholesterol levels Risk factors for high cholesterol Effects of high cholesterol levels Foods that contain cholesterol Dietary tips to avoid cholesterol How to avoid saturated fats Foods that may lower cholesterol levels Lifestyle tips to cut cholesterol Medication may be needed for high cholesterol Where to get help.

Cholesterol is a type of fat that is part of all animal cells. Cholesterol is important Cholesterol is produced by the liver and also made by most cells in the body. We need a small amount of blood cholesterol because the body uses it to: build the structure of cell membranes make hormones like oestrogen, testosterone and adrenal hormones help your metabolism work efficiently, for example, cholesterol is essential for your body to produce vitamin D produce bile acids, which help the body digest fat and absorb important nutrients.

How cholesterol moves around the body Cholesterol is a waxy fat-like substance. It is carried around the body by 2 key transport systems in the blood, which include: Low-density lipoprotein LDL cholesterol — carries most of the cholesterol that is delivered to cells.

How to check your cholesterol levels Your doctor can check your cholesterol levels through a blood test. The blood test measures: total cholesterol HDL cholesterol LDL cholesterol triglycerides , another type of fat in the blood.

There are no symptoms for high cholesterol. Safe blood cholesterol levels Many factors influence your cholesterol levels. Total cholesterol levels should be lower than 5.

Risk factors for high cholesterol There is no single cause of high cholesterol, but there are some controllable risk factors smoking and non-controllable risk factors age.

Risk factors for high cholesterol include: age smoking lack of physical activity overweight or obesity family history unhealthy diet.

Effects of high cholesterol levels The liver is the main processing centre for cholesterol and dietary fat. Foods that contain cholesterol Research has shown that cholesterol in food has a neutral relationship with blood cholesterol levels.

Dietary tips to avoid cholesterol Following a healthy diet and lifestyle can help to lower your cholesterol levels over time, including: Increase the amount and variety of fresh fruit, vegetables and wholegrain foods you have each day.

People with high cholesterol should choose reduced fat varieties. The statins blocked the benefits of exercise. You have to treat 50 people with statins to prevent 1 heart attack or treat people to prevent 1 death. That means people are taking statins with no benefit. When the statins do work, it often has nothing to do with their effect on cholesterol.

Some of the touted benefits of statins are that they lower inflammation and perform like antioxidants in the body. Overall, however, the drawbacks outweigh these and other potential benefits for most people.

They may have a little more benefit for those who already have had a heart attack but not much for those who have never had one which is when most statins are prescribed — before an incident has occurred.

If your doctor is concerned about your cholesterol, you will want to use these seven strategies to optimize lipid levels and your overall health:. I hope you can see how the story of cholesterol is not black and white.

Follow these seven strategies outlined above and you will be able to optimize your cholesterol levels and achieve optimal health. To learn more, sign up for my free Fat Summit: Separating Fat from Fiction , where I interview top scientists, doctors, researchers, and other health experts that show us how to lose weight, stay healthy, and reverse chronic disease.

Share this information with all your family and friends and help me really transform lives. Skip to content. The End of Low-Fat Diet Recommendations The U. You must check for particle size and particle number by asking your doctor to do a particle size test.

Other cholesterol tests are outdated. The tests to get are either an NMR Lipid Panel from LabCorp or the Cardio IQ Test from Quest Diagnostics. Insist on one of these tests. You want to see results that show lots of safe, light, fluffy, big cholesterol particles.

You do not want to see small, dense, artery-damaging cholesterol particles. Check for metabolic syndrome or diabesity. If you have small LDL and HDL particles or high triglycerides over , you probably have metabolic syndrome.

If your triglyceride-to-HDL ratio is over 2 you also likely have diabesity. Ask for a glucose-insulin challenge test or an insulin-response test.

It is performed by checking your glucose and insulin after fasting. Then you drink a gram glucose drink and your insulin and blood sugar are measured again at 1- and 2-hour intervals. You should also ask your doctor to check your hemoglobin A1C, which is a measurement of your blood sugar control over the last six weeks.

Eat a healthy diet with healthy fats. The good fats in foods like avocado, coconut oil, extra-virgin olive oil, wild-caught fish, nuts, and seeds can improve the type and quantity of cholesterol in your body. Eat a low-glycemic load diet.

Besides healthy fats, focus on a high-fiber, plant-based diet with lots of phytonutrients and omega 3 fats. That includes lots of non-starchy veggies.

Consume plenty of good-quality protein found in beans, seeds, nuts, and high-quality, sustainably raised or grass-fed animal protein. Exercise regularly.

Studies show consistent, regular exercise can optimize cholesterol levels. More advanced exercisers can incorporate weight training and high-intensity interval training. Focus on quality sleep. Optimizing blood sugar is just one of the numerous benefits of eight hours of sleep every night.

Practice good sleep practices: Turn off the TV and Internet a few hours before bedtime. Many patients like to unwind with my UltraCalm CD. Get 19 of my top sleep tips here.

Take the right supplements. You can find high-quality supplements to optimize cholesterol in my store. We use cookies and similar technologies to run this website and help us understand how you use it. See our privacy policy here. I Accept.

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Healthh Clinic offers appointments Cholesterol health optimization Arizona, Florida Cholesyerol Minnesota and at Mayo Clinic Health System locations. Lifestyle changes can help Cbolesterol your cholesterol Carbohydrate loading for weightlifting and boost the cholesterol-lowering power of medications. High cholesterol increases your risk of heart disease and heart attacks. Medications can help improve your cholesterol. But if you'd rather first make lifestyle changes to improve your cholesterol, try these five healthy changes. Exercise can improve cholesterol.

Mayo Colesterol offers appointments in Arizona, Florida and Minnesota and at Mayo Clinic Hhealth System locations. Lifestyle changes can help improve your cholesterol — and boost the cholesterol-lowering power optimizzation medications.

High cholesterol increases your risk of oprimization disease and heqlth attacks. Medications can help improve your cholesterol.

But if you'd rather first make lifestyle changes to optimziation your cholesterol, halth these five healthy changes. Exercise can healthh cholesterol. Moderate physical activity Cuolesterol help raise Neuropathy in diabetes lipoprotein HDL cholesterol, the "good" cholesterol.

With your doctor's OK, Cholestterol up to at least 30 Curcumin Research of exercise five times a Medication management for diabetes or vigorous aerobic Cholesterop for Natural ways to reduce inflammation minutes three times a week.

Adding physical activity, even in short intervals several times a day, can help you begin hea,th lose optimizatiob.

Quitting smoking improves your HDL cholesterol level. The benefits Natural ways to reduce inflammation quickly:.

Carrying Cholwsterol a few extra pounds contributes to high cholesterol. Small changes add up. If you drink Natural ways to reduce inflammation hColesterol, switch to Choesterol water. Snack on air-popped popcorn or pretzels — but keep Natural ways to reduce inflammation of the calories. If you crave Medication management for diabetes sweet, try sherbet or Natural ways to reduce inflammation with Mindful eating and mindful sensory pleasure or no fat, such as jelly beans.

Look optimiaztion ways to incorporate more activity into your daily hea,th, such as using the stairs instead of taking the optimiztion or Cholesteeol farther from your office.

Take walks during breaks at work. Try to increase standing activities, such as cooking or doing yardwork. Optimizztion use of alcohol has been linked optkmization higher Cholesterok of Gealth cholesterol — but the benefits aren't strong Calorie intake and metabolism boosting foods to recommend alcohol for Medication management for diabetes who doesn't already drink.

If Ignite fat burning drink alcohol, do so in moderation. For healrh adults, that Choletserol up to Natural ways to reduce inflammation drink a day for women of optimizatipn ages and men older than age 65, and healh to two drinks a day for optimizahion age 65 and younger.

Too much alcohol can lead to Cholestdrol health problems, healyh high blood pressure, heart failure and strokes. Sometimes healthy lifestyle changes aren't enough to lower cholesterol levels.

If your doctor recommends medication to optimizarion lower your cholesterol, take it as prescribed while continuing your lifestyle changes. Lifestyle changes can help you keep your medication dose low. There is a problem with information submitted for this request.

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Check out these best-sellers and special offers on books and newsletters from Mayo Clinic Press. This content does not have an English version.

This content does not have an Arabic version. Appointments at Mayo Clinic Mayo Clinic offers appointments in Arizona, Florida and Minnesota and at Mayo Clinic Health System locations. Request Appointment. Top 5 lifestyle changes to improve your cholesterol.

Products and services. Top 5 lifestyle changes to improve your cholesterol Lifestyle changes can help improve your cholesterol — and boost the cholesterol-lowering power of medications.

By Mayo Clinic Staff. Thank you for subscribing! Sorry something went wrong with your subscription Please, try again in a couple of minutes Retry. Show references Your guide to lowering your cholesterol with TLC. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.

pdf Accessed May 22, Kumar P, et al. Lipid and metabolic disorders. In: Kumar and Clark's Clinical Medicine. Philadelphia, Pa. Accessed May 22, Tangney CC, et al. Lipid lowering with diet or dietary supplements. Catapano AL, et al.

Department of Health and Human Services and U. Department of Agriculture. Final determination regarding partially hydrogenated oils removing trans fat. Food and Drug Administration. Accessed June 28, Cooking to lower cholesterol. American Heart Association.

Fekete AA, et al. Whey protein lowers blood pressure and improves endothelial function and lipid biomarkers in adults with prehypertension and mild hypertensions: Results from the chronic Whey2Go randomized controlled trial. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. Douglas PS. Exercise and fitness in the prevention of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease.

Accessed May 30, Hyperlipidemia adult. Rochester, Minn. Braun LT, et al. Effects of exercise on lipoproteins and hemostatic factors.

Smoke-free living: Benefits and milestones. Accessed May Cardiovascular benefits and risks of moderate alcohol consumption. Accessed May 31, Bonow RO, et al. Risk markers and the primary prevention of cardiovascular disease. In: Braunwald's Heart Disease: A Textbook of Cardiovascular Medicine.

Products and Services A Book: Mayo Clinic Family Health Book, 5th Edition Nutritional Supplements at Mayo Clinic Store Newsletter: Mayo Clinic Health Letter — Digital Edition. See also Arcus senilis: A sign of high cholesterol? Birth control pill FAQ Cholesterol level: Can it be too low?

Cholesterol medications: Consider the options Cholesterol ratio or non-HDL cholesterol: Which is most important? Cholesterol test kits: Are they accurate? Cholesterol: Top foods to improve your numbers Cholesterol-lowering supplements may be helpful Coconut oil: Can it cure hypothyroidism? Congenital adrenal hyperplasia Prickly pear cactus Eggs and cholesterol Fasting diet: Can it improve my heart health?

Hashimoto's disease HDL cholesterol: How to boost your 'good' cholesterol Herbal supplements and heart drugs High cholesterol High cholesterol in children High cholesterol treatment: Does cinnamon lower cholesterol?

Hypothyroidism: Can calcium supplements interfere with treatment? Hypothyroidism diet Hypothyroidism and joint pain? Hypothyroidism: Should I take iodine supplements?

Hypothyroidism symptoms: Can hypothyroidism cause eye problems? Hypothyroidism underactive thyroid Lowering Triglycerides Menus for heart-healthy eating Metabolic syndrome Niacin overdose: What are the symptoms?

Niacin to improve cholesterol numbers Nuts and your heart: Eating nuts for heart health Is there a risk of rhabdomyolysis from statins? Soy: Does it reduce cholesterol?

: Cholesterol health optimization

Prevention and Treatment of High Cholesterol (Hyperlipidemia)	This can lead to heart disease and stroke. Research has shown that cholesterol in food has a neutral relationship with blood cholesterol levels. For those not at high risk of cardiovascular disease or diabetes or who have not previously had LDL lowering treatment, there is no limit to the amount of cholesterol which can be consumed in foods such as eggs and animal products. However, if you do have these risk factors a maximum of 7 eggs per week is advised. Following a healthy diet and lifestyle can help to lower your cholesterol levels over time, including:. To assist with lowering cholesterol levels, reducing foods high in saturated fats can help. Try to minimise intake of:. Food components like saponins found in chickpeas, alfalfa sprouts and other foods and sulphur compounds like allicin — found in garlic and onions may also have a positive effect in lowering cholesterol levels. Plant sterols can lower cholesterol levels and are found naturally in plant foods including sunflower and canola seeds, vegetable oils and in smaller amounts in nuts, legumes, cereals, fruit and vegetables. Some margarine, milks and cereals have concentrated plant sterols added to them. The recommended dose is 2 to 3 g per day. Consuming more than this amount does not lead to any harm, however, there are no additional benefits. Changing some of your lifestyle habits may also help to reduce your cholesterol and triglyceride levels. Suggestions include:. For some people, diet and lifestyle changes are not enough to lower cholesterol. High blood cholesterol levels often have a genetic component. Some people inherit altered genes that cause high cholesterol and this cannot usually be changed sufficiently by lifestyle or diet. Satins slow the amount of cholesterol made in your liver. The liver uses the cholesterol already in your blood instead. This lowers the level of LDL cholesterol in your blood. Some people get muscle aches from statins. However, diet and exercise will still be important, even if you are taking medication. Your doctor may also refer you to a specialist who treats cardiovascular disease. This page has been produced in consultation with and approved by:. Content on this website is provided for information purposes only. Information about a therapy, service, product or treatment does not in any way endorse or support such therapy, service, product or treatment and is not intended to replace advice from your doctor or other registered health professional. The information and materials contained on this website are not intended to constitute a comprehensive guide concerning all aspects of the therapy, product or treatment described on the website. All users are urged to always seek advice from a registered health care professional for diagnosis and answers to their medical questions and to ascertain whether the particular therapy, service, product or treatment described on the website is suitable in their circumstances. The State of Victoria and the Department of Health shall not bear any liability for reliance by any user on the materials contained on this website. Skip to main content. Blood and blood vessels. Home Blood and blood vessels. Actions for this page Listen Print. Summary Read the full fact sheet. On this page. What is cholesterol? Cholesterol is important How cholesterol moves around the body How to check your cholesterol levels Safe blood cholesterol levels Risk factors for high cholesterol Effects of high cholesterol levels Foods that contain cholesterol Dietary tips to avoid cholesterol How to avoid saturated fats Foods that may lower cholesterol levels Lifestyle tips to cut cholesterol Medication may be needed for high cholesterol Where to get help. Cholesterol is a type of fat that is part of all animal cells. Cholesterol is important Cholesterol is produced by the liver and also made by most cells in the body. We need a small amount of blood cholesterol because the body uses it to: build the structure of cell membranes make hormones like oestrogen, testosterone and adrenal hormones help your metabolism work efficiently, for example, cholesterol is essential for your body to produce vitamin D produce bile acids, which help the body digest fat and absorb important nutrients. How cholesterol moves around the body Cholesterol is a waxy fat-like substance. It is carried around the body by 2 key transport systems in the blood, which include: Low-density lipoprotein LDL cholesterol — carries most of the cholesterol that is delivered to cells. How to check your cholesterol levels Your doctor can check your cholesterol levels through a blood test. The blood test measures: total cholesterol HDL cholesterol LDL cholesterol triglycerides , another type of fat in the blood. There are no symptoms for high cholesterol. Safe blood cholesterol levels Many factors influence your cholesterol levels. Total cholesterol levels should be lower than 5. Risk factors for high cholesterol There is no single cause of high cholesterol, but there are some controllable risk factors smoking and non-controllable risk factors age. Risk factors for high cholesterol include: age smoking lack of physical activity overweight or obesity family history unhealthy diet. Effects of high cholesterol levels The liver is the main processing centre for cholesterol and dietary fat. Lipid management with diet or dietary supplements. Accessed March 6, Your guide to lowering your cholesterol with therapeutic lifestyle changes. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. Accessed March 8, Grundy SM, et al. Journal of the American College of Cardiology. Prevention and treatment of high cholesterol hyperlipidemia. American Heart Association. Feather A, et al. Lipid and metabolic disorders. Elsevier; Pacheo LS, et al. Avocado consumption and risk of cardiovascular disease in US adults. Journal of the American Heart Association. Eating an avocado once a week may lower heart disease risk. Amirani E, et al. Effects of whey protein on glycemic control and serum lipoproteins in patients with metabolic syndrome and related conditions: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled clinical trials. Lipids in Health and Disease. doi: Hyperlipidemia adult. Mayo Clinic; Department of Health and Human Services and U. Department of Agriculture. Final determination regarding regarding partially hydrogenated oils removing trans fat. Food and Drug Administration. Mozaffarian D, et al. Dietary fat. Accessed March 15, Mahmassani HA, et al. Avocado consumption and risk factors for heart disease: A systematic review and meta-analysis. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. Products and Services A Book: Mayo Clinic Family Health Book, 5th Edition Nutritional Supplements at Mayo Clinic Store Newsletter: Mayo Clinic Health Letter — Digital Edition. See also Arcus senilis: A sign of high cholesterol? Birth control pill FAQ Cholesterol level: Can it be too low? Cholesterol medications: Consider the options Cholesterol ratio or non-HDL cholesterol: Which is most important? Cholesterol test kits: Are they accurate? Cholesterol-lowering supplements may be helpful Coconut oil: Can it cure hypothyroidism? Congenital adrenal hyperplasia Prickly pear cactus Eggs and cholesterol Fasting diet: Can it improve my heart health? Hashimoto's disease HDL cholesterol: How to boost your 'good' cholesterol Herbal supplements and heart drugs High cholesterol High cholesterol in children High cholesterol treatment: Does cinnamon lower cholesterol? Hypothyroidism: Can calcium supplements interfere with treatment? Hypothyroidism diet Hypothyroidism and joint pain? Hypothyroidism: Should I take iodine supplements? Hypothyroidism symptoms: Can hypothyroidism cause eye problems? Hypothyroidism underactive thyroid Lowering Triglycerides Menus for heart-healthy eating Metabolic syndrome Niacin overdose: What are the symptoms? Niacin to improve cholesterol numbers Nuts and your heart: Eating nuts for heart health Is there a risk of rhabdomyolysis from statins? Soy: Does it reduce cholesterol? Soy: Does it worsen hypothyroidism? Statin side effects Statins Statins: Do they cause ALS? Lifestyle changes to improve cholesterol Trans fat Triglycerides: Why do they matter? VLDL cholesterol: Is it harmful? Show more related content. Mayo Clinic Press Check out these best-sellers and special offers on books and newsletters from Mayo Clinic Press. Mayo Clinic on Incontinence - Mayo Clinic Press Mayo Clinic on Incontinence The Essential Diabetes Book - Mayo Clinic Press The Essential Diabetes Book Mayo Clinic on Hearing and Balance - Mayo Clinic Press Mayo Clinic on Hearing and Balance FREE Mayo Clinic Diet Assessment - Mayo Clinic Press FREE Mayo Clinic Diet Assessment Mayo Clinic Health Letter - FREE book - Mayo Clinic Press Mayo Clinic Health Letter - FREE book. ART Home Cholesterol Top foods to improve your numbers. Show the heart some love! Give Today. Help us advance cardiovascular medicine. Find a doctor. Explore careers. Sign up for free e-newsletters. About Mayo Clinic. About this Site. Contact Us. Health Information Policy. Media Requests. News Network. 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7 Ways to Optimize Cholesterol	There is no single cause of high cholesterol, but there are some controllable risk factors smoking and non-controllable risk factors age. Being overweight may contribute to raised blood triglyceride and LDL levels. As plaque builds up over time, the insides of your arteries narrow. Mince garlic and dice onion. High cholesterol increases your risk of heart disease and heart attacks. Manage your blood sugar levels within your target range if you have diabetes. This may help lower your triglyceride levels.
Contributor Disclosures	Skip directly to site content Skip directly to search. Español Other Languages. Prevent High Cholesterol. Minus Related Pages. Make healthy eating choices Your body makes all of the cholesterol it needs, so you do not need to obtain cholesterol through foods. What you can do to help prevent cholesterol: Limit foods high in saturated fat. Saturated fats come from animal products such as cheese, fatty meats, and dairy desserts and tropical oils such as palm oil. Foods that are higher in saturated fat may be high in cholesterol. Choose foods that are low in saturated fat, trans fat, sodium salt , and added sugars. These foods include lean meats; seafood; fat-free or low-fat milk, cheese, and yogurt; whole grains; and fruits and vegetables. Eat foods naturally high in fiber, such as oatmeal and beans black, pinto, kidney, lima, and others , and unsaturated fats, which can be found in avocados, vegetable oils like olive oil, and nuts. Find healthy, seasonal recipes at the Million Hearts ® healthy recipes page. When blood flow to the heart is blocked, it can cause chest pain also called angina or a heart attack also called myocardial infarction. High cholesterol also increases your risk for heart disease and stroke , two leading causes of death in the United States. The only way to know whether you have high cholesterol is to get your cholesterol checked by your health care team. Talk with your health care team about how often you should have your cholesterol screened. Strong evidence shows that eating patterns that include less dietary cholesterol are associated with reduced risk of cardiovascular disease. Learn how to prevent, treat, and manage high cholesterol. Your overall risk for high cholesterol depends on many factors. Learn what increases your risk for high cholesterol. More information. Skip directly to site content Skip directly to search. Español Other Languages. About Cholesterol. Minus Related Pages. What is cholesterol? What do blood cholesterol numbers mean? Having high levels of LDL cholesterol can lead to plaque buildup in your arteries and result in heart disease or stroke. Triglycerides, a type of fat in your blood that your body uses for energy. The combination of high levels of triglycerides with low HDL cholesterol or high LDL cholesterol levels can increase your risk for heart attack and stroke. A heart-healthy diet emphasizes fruits, vegetables, whole grains, poultry, fish, nuts and nontropical vegetable oils , while limiting red and processed meats, sodium and sugar-sweetened foods and beverages. Many diets fit this general description. For example, the DASH Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension eating plan promoted by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute as well as diets suggested by the U. Department of Agriculture and the American Heart Association are heart-healthy approaches. Such diets can be adapted based on your cultural and food preferences. A sedentary lifestyle lowers HDL cholesterol. Physical activity is important. At least minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise a week is enough to lower both cholesterol and high blood pressure. And you have lots of options: brisk walking, swimming, bicycling or even yard work can fit the bill. Worse still, when a person with unhealthy cholesterol levels also smokes, risk of coronary heart disease increases more than it otherwise would. Smoking also compounds the risk from other risk factors for heart disease, such as high blood pressure and diabetes. By quitting, smokers can lower their LDL cholesterol and increase their HDL cholesterol levels. It can also help protect their arteries. Nonsmokers should avoid exposure to secondhand smoke. Learn more about quitting smoking. Being overweight or obese tends to raise bad cholesterol and lower good cholesterol. Your health care professional can help you reach your health goals, including keeping your cholesterol at healthy levels. Written by American Heart Association editorial staff and reviewed by science and medicine advisors. See our editorial policies and staff. About Cholesterol. HDL, LDL Cholesterol and Triglycerides.

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How to Raise Your Healthy Cholesterol (HDL's) to Clean Those Arteries - Dr. Mandell