Making Lifestyle Changes

Lifestyle changes are important to help control high cholesterol, especially if you have other risk factors for heart disease and stroke.

Even if your doctor has prescribed medicine for you, you may still need to make changes at home to lower your cholesterol and reduce your risk. Some people can even take less medicine after making these changes.

What changes do you need to make?

Make these lifestyle changes to help lower your cholesterol:

Eat healthy foods

Making healthy eating habits a part of your daily life is one of the best things you can do to lower your cholesterol. Your doctor may recommend that you follow the Therapeutic Lifestyle Changes (TLC) diet. The diet's main focus is to reduce the amount of saturated fat you eat, because saturated fat raises your cholesterol.

High Cholesterol: Using the TLC Diet

If you have questions about which diet to follow, talk to your doctor.

For more information about food and high cholesterol, see:

• Healthy Food Choices to Lower Cholesterol.
• Foods and Their Effect on Cholesterol.
• Fish, Fish Oil, and Cholesterol.
• Antioxidants.
• Foods to Avoid for High Cholesterol.

Lose extra weight

Losing just 5 lb to 10 lb (2.3 kg to 4.5 kg) can lower your cholesterol. Losing weight can also help lower your blood pressure.

For help, see:

Healthy Eating: Starting a Plan for Change.

Weight Management: Using Positive Thinking.

Get active

Regular physical activity raises "good" HDL cholesterol. Getting active has many other benefits too. It can help you lose weight. And it can lower your blood pressure.

For tips, see:

High Cholesterol: Raising Your HDL Level

Fitness: Adding More Activity to Your Life

Activity Ideas

Quick Tips: Getting Active at Home

Don't smoke

Quitting can help raise your HDL and improve your heart health. "Good" HDL levels often go up soon after a person quits smoking.

For more information, see:

Quitting Smoking.

Quitting Smoking: Getting Support.

Quitting Smoking: Coping With Cravings and Withdrawal.

Quitting Smoking: Preventing Slips or Relapses.

If high cholesterol runs in your family, these lifestyle changes may not be enough. You may need to take medicine too. But no matter what treatment you use, you can lower your high cholesterol.

How do you make lifestyle changes?

You can learn simple steps to help you make lifestyle changes, like setting goals. To find out more about making healthy lifestyle changes, see Change a Habit by Setting Goals.

When changing a lifestyle habit, barriers can sometimes get in your way. For help, see:

Healthy Eating: Overcoming Barriers to Change.

Fitness: Getting Around Barriers to Exercise.