5 TIPS FOR TREATING HIGH CHOLESTEROL

Roughly 94 million American adults have high cholesterol levels, meaning they’re at an increased risk of serious, life-threatening medical problems like heart disease and stroke. Moreover, because high cholesterol doesn’t cause symptoms, many more people likely have high cholesterol levels and don’t even know it.

At Three Angels Family Practice and Wellness Center, Danette J. Joseph, MD, offers cholesterol testing and management therapies to help patients in Hershey, Pennsylvania, take control of their cholesterol levels. For many patients, a few simple lifestyle changes are all it takes to lower high cholesterol levels and keep them in check. Here are five tips that could help you.

1. WATCH YOUR DIET

Cholesterol is necessary for your body to function, and your body makes all the cholesterol it needs. Mainly, you naturally eliminate the cholesterol in the foods you eat. But when you consume foods with lots of cholesterol, your body can’t keep up, and the excess stays in your blood. It’s when you get too much cholesterol that problems happen.

Limiting high cholesterol foods is critical, including foods high in saturated fats. Simultaneously, you should add foods high in fiber. These foods help your body get rid of cholesterol, so it doesn’t collect in your arteries.

2. QUIT SMOKING

Smoking isn’t just bad for your lungs and heart — it’s also terrible for your blood vessels. Smoking causes inflammatory damage to your vessel walls, making cholesterol cling to the walls and narrowing your arteries easier. That means less blood flow to your heart, brain, and all the rest of your organs.

Smoking also increases your levels of “bad” low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol — the kind that clings to artery walls — and lowers your levels of “good” high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, which can help remove LDL deposits. In this way, smoking exerts a “one-two punch” that can devastate your health.

3. GET MORE EXERCISE

Exercise helps your body process and eliminate cholesterol more effectively. What’s the best exercise for lowering your cholesterol? Aerobic exercise tops the list — activities like brisk walking, cycling, and swimming are great options. But if those don’t appeal to you, there’s evidence that yoga can help, too.

4. LOSE THE SPARE TIRE

Losing weight may not be easy, but it has many significant benefits, including lower levels of “bad” cholesterol. In fact, for every 10 extra pounds you’re carting around, your body produces an additional 10 milligrams of “bad” cholesterol every day.

You don’t have to lose a lot to see those benefits. Losing just 10 pounds can yield good results to help you manage your LDL cholesterol levels.

5. GET SOME SLEEP

Eat healthy, exercise more, and lose weight — if it’s starting to sound like controlling your cholesterol is all work and no play, this tip is for you. As it turns out, kicking back and catching some Zs is crucial for reducing your “bad” cholesterol levels.

Data show that people who get 7-9 hours of sleep per night have healthier cholesterol levels than people who don’t get enough shut-eye. Aim for that ideal range of 7-9 hours for maximum benefits. But before you invest in new jammies, know this: Too much sleep is bad, too.

BEYOND LIFESTYLE CHANGES

Even though a few simple changes to your habits can help you keep your cholesterol levels in check, sometimes, it’s just not enough to maintain that healthy range. In that case, Dr. Joseph may recommend cholesterol-lowering medications. Taken as directed, these medicines can be very effective in helping you maintain a healthy level of cholesterol while reducing your risks of heart attack, stroke, and other complications.

If you’re ready to take control of your cholesterol levels, Dr. Joseph can help. To learn more ways to manage your cholesterol or to schedule a cholesterol blood test, call (717) 298-1268 or book an appointment online with Three Angels Family Practice and Wellness Center today.