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Treatments
High Cholesterol-Lowering Treatment
The main goal of high cholesterol-lowering treatment is to lower your LDL level enough to reduce your risk for developing heart disease or having a heart attack. The higher your risk, the lower your LDL goal will be.
What should you eat?
To eat a heart-healthy diet, you need to cut down on foods high in saturated fats, like fried foods, red meat, processed meats (cold cuts and hot dogs), some kinds of cheese, and most commercially prepared baked goods (muffins, cookies, doughnuts). Commercial food manufacturers are responding to health concerns by reducing saturated fats and trans fats in their products. Make sure you check the nutrition labels on the foods you buy to ensure you are getting the least possible amount of saturated and trans fats.
A low-saturated-fat, low-cholesterol eating plan has less than 7 percent of calories from saturated fat and less than 200 mg of dietary cholesterol per day. This plan calls for only enough calories to maintain a desirable weight and avoid weight gain. If reducing your saturated fat and cholesterol intake doesn't lower your LDL enough, you should increase the amount of soluble fiber in your diet.
Fish is a good choice for a healthy diet. Many types contain high levels of omega-3 fatty acids, which may help lower blood cholesterol and blood pressure and reduce your risk for dangerous blood clotting. Cold-water and fatty fish, such as salmon and herring, contain the most omega-3s.
You should also eat more vegetables, fruit and whole grains like oatmeal and barley. They contain fiber, which fills you up and helps limit your fat intake while still giving you the nutrients you need.
If you eat red meat, here are some ways to decrease fat without giving up flavor:
- Decrease the amount of meat in a recipe.
- Serve smaller portions of meat and add more vegetables, grains and fruit to a meal.
- Select a lean cut when you buy meat. The terms "round" and "loin" indicate lower fat.
- Trim all visible fat from meat before cooking.
Other tips for reducing high cholesterol
- Exercise. Regular physical activity – 30 to 60 minutes on most, if not all days – is recommended for everyone. It can help raise HDL and lower LDL cholesterol. For adults, the CDC recommends 150 minutes of moderate intensity aerobic activity every week and muscle-strengthening activities on two or more days a week.
- Maintain a healthy weight. Losing weight if you are overweight can lower your LDL cholesterol.
- Control your blood pressure.
- Don't smoke.
- Consider medications. If your cholesterol level remains high six months after you change your lifestyle, ask your doctor about available medications that can lower your cholesterol by 25 to 60 percent. Medication is mandatory for cholesterol of 300 mg/dL or higher, and is usually recommended for people with cholesterol of 240 mg/dL or higher who do not meet total cholesterol and LDL goals by diet and exercise alone.