From the Guidelines
To effectively manage high cholesterol, it is crucial to adopt a combination of lifestyle modifications, including a heart-healthy diet, regular exercise, weight management, and stress reduction, as these approaches have been shown to improve cholesterol levels and reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease.
Key Lifestyle Modifications
- Adopting a heart-healthy diet involves reducing saturated fats (found in red meat and full-fat dairy) and eliminating trans fats, while increasing foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids (like salmon and flaxseeds), soluble fiber (oatmeal, beans, fruits), and plant sterols/stanols 1.
- Regular exercise is essential, aiming for at least 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity weekly or 75 minutes of vigorous activity, which helps raise HDL (good) cholesterol and lower LDL (bad) cholesterol 1.
- Weight management is important, as losing even 5-10% of body weight can significantly improve cholesterol levels 1.
- Limiting alcohol consumption to moderate levels and quitting smoking are also critical, as smoking lowers HDL cholesterol and damages blood vessels 1.
- Stress management through techniques like meditation, yoga, or deep breathing can help prevent stress-induced behaviors that worsen cholesterol 1.
Importance of Recent Guidelines
The most recent guidelines emphasize the importance of therapeutic lifestyle changes (TLC) in managing high cholesterol, including diet, exercise, and weight management 1.
Implementing Lifestyle Changes
By implementing these lifestyle modifications, individuals can significantly improve their cholesterol levels, reduce their risk of cardiovascular disease, and enhance their overall quality of life. It is essential to note that while these lifestyle changes are beneficial for managing high cholesterol, they should be tailored to each individual's specific needs and health status, and should be implemented under the guidance of a healthcare professional.
From the FDA Drug Label
The FDA drug label does not answer the question.
From the Research
Lifestyle Approaches to Manage High Cholesterol
Dear Patient,
The following lifestyle approaches can help manage high cholesterol:
- A healthful diet that is low in saturated fat and sufficient in unsaturated fat, as recommended by 2
- Regular physical activity, which can increase high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) levels, as shown in 2, 3
- Attaining a healthy weight, as individual lifestyle interventions that increase HDL-C include weight loss, as stated in 2
- Moderate alcohol consumption, as part of a healthy lifestyle, as mentioned in 2
- Cessation of cigarette smoking, as smoking is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease, as implied in 2, 4
Dietary Recommendations
A balanced diet is the basis of successful treatment of hypercholesterolemia, as stated in 4. This includes:
- A diet containing less fat but more unsaturated fatty acids
- Less salt
- Less cholesterol
- More proteins
- More dietary fiber
- More complex carbohydrates Adhering to certain healthy dietary patterns, such as the Mediterranean diet, the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH), or the Portfolio diet, can also help manage high cholesterol, as recommended by 5, 6.
Physical Activity
Regular physical activity, such as aerobic exercise training, can increase HDL-C levels and reduce the risk of coronary heart disease, as shown in 3. A practical approach to prescribing exercise is to use moderate intensity exercises, 3 to 5 times per week, for a total of 7 to 14 miles per week, as suggested in 3.
Benefits of Lifestyle Changes
Combining a healthy diet with weight loss and physical activity can increase HDL-C by 10% to 13%, as stated in 2. Additionally, replacing saturated fat with unsaturated fats, especially polyunsaturated fats, can lower the incidence of cardiovascular disease, as concluded in 6.