Simple steps to lowering "bad" cholesterol

Prevention

Adoption of a healthier lifestyle, including aerobic exercise and a low-fat diet, should reduce the prevalence of obesity, high cholesterol, and, ultimately, the risk of coronary heart disease.

First, see your doctor. A simple blood test checks for high cholesterol. You may be asked to fast overnight before the test. Just knowing your total cholesterol level isn't enough. A complete lipid profile measures your LDL, total cholesterol, HDL (the good cholesterol), and triglycerides. The guidelines say healthy adults should have this analysis every 5 years.

Next, set dietary goals based on the guidelines from the National Cholesterol Education Program.

Strive for daily intake of less than 7% of your calories from saturated fat and less than 200 mg of cholesterol from the food you eat.

You may eat up to 30% of your calories from total fat, but most should be from unsaturated fat, which doesn't raise cholesterol levels.

Add more soluble fiber (found in cereal grains, beans, peas, and many fruits and vegetables) and foods that contain plant stanols and sterols (included in certain margarines and salad dressings) to boost your LDL-lowering power. The best way to know what's in the foods you eat is to read the nutrition label.

Lower cholesterol levels start at the grocery store. Read food labels, and buy foods low in saturated fat and low in cholesterol. To help you know what to look for when grocery shopping, the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute has a partial shopping list for you.

Breads - Whole wheat, rye, pumpernickel, or white


Soft tortillas - Corn or whole wheat


Hot and cold cereals - Except granola or muesli


Rice - White, brown, wild, basmati, or jasmine


Grains - Bulgur, couscous, quinoa, barley, hominy, or millet


Fruits - Any fresh, canned, dried, or frozen without added sugar


Vegetables - Any fresh, frozen, or (low-salt) canned without cream or cheese sauce


Fresh or frozen juices without added sugar


Fat-free or 1% milk


Cheese with 3 grams of fat or less per serving


Low-fat or nonfat yogurt


Lean cuts of meat - Eye of round beef, top round, sirloin, or pork tenderloin


Lean or extra lean ground beef


Chicken or turkey - White or light meat, skin removed


Fish - Most white meat fish is very low in fat, saturated fat, and cholesterol.


Tuna - Light meat canned in water


Peanut butter, reduced fat


Eggs, egg whites, egg substitutes


Low-fat cookies or angel food cake


Low-fat frozen yogurt, sorbet, sherbet


Popcorn without butter or oil, pretzels, baked tortilla chips


Margarine - Soft, diet, tub, or liquid


Vegetable oil - Canola, olive, corn, peanut, or sunflower


Nonstick cooking spray


Sparkling water, tea, lemonade

Manage your cholesterol. You can take an important first step toward a healthier heart by enrolling in the American Heart Association's Cholesterol Low Down Program. High cholesterol is a leading risk factor for coronary heart disease and stroke. Sign up by phone ([800] AHA-USA1) or online at American Heart Association's Cholesterol Low Down Program to receive life-management tools such as a newsletter, health risk assessment, and healthy-living cookbooks and fitness tips.


Calculate your 10-year risk of having a heart attack. The risk assessment tool presented at this link is from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute's National Cholesterol Education Program. It uses scientific research information to predict your chance of having a heart attack in the next 10 years. For adults older than 20 years who do not have heart disease or diabetes, click the link to assess your risk score. Those with diabetes and others with a 10-year risk greater than 20% are considered to have the same risk for future heart disease events as people with known coronary heart disease. You'll need to know your total cholesterol, HDL cholesterol level, and systolic blood pressure (the first number).


The National Cholesterol Education Program Web site will tell you what your LDL cholesterol goal should be. For people with known coronary heart disease and similar risk, the LDL cholesterol goal is less than 100 mg/dL.

WebMD Medical Reference from eMedicineHealth
Reviewed by Marc C. Levesque, MD, PhD on March 01, 2007