When seeking to control your cholesterol, you may be wondering just where to begin or how do you know what is right for you. In this post I go over the steps that most medical professionals suggest: Consult with your physician or medical professional; Make dietary changes; Include a fitness or exercise program. While there are other factors to consider, these are just a few of the basic ones that I started with in this Beginner’s Guide to Lowering Cholesterol.
Consult with Your Medical Doctor
As mentioned before, it is important to consult with your doctor before beginning any new fitness or weight loss program.
The program that I used was actually recommended by a specialist who was evaluating another concern that I had. He reassured me that this program would benefit both conditions and that his medical team would be monitoring the course very closely.
This was significant because I would be on a very rigid program whereby results from lab work and tests needed to be checked on a regular basis. This is just one of many examples why it is vital to seek the consul of your medical professional first.
Making Dietary Changes
The Best Food Choices
Next, depending on the recommendations of your physician or medical professional, it is important to make the necessary dietary changes. For most people that means going from an unstructured eating plan that raises cholesterol to eating heart-healthy foods that will actually help fight cholesterol.
Effective Weight Loss Plan
Many medical professionals agree that weight loss can be a major factor in the quest to lower cholesterol. That was definitely my case. Had I not chosen to begin with an effective weight loss program, I am sure my results would have been much different. Therefore, this is where my personal journey began in lowering my cholesterol.
While eating a well-balanced diet is important, “studies have shown that almost any diet will result in weight loss, if it is one that can be followed” – Harvard Medical School. If losing weight is an important factor for you, it is essential that you check with your health professional and find the eating plan or diet that is right for you.
Fitness Program
The other staple in my weight loss program was the fitness part. In my effort to lower my cholesterol, exercise was a key component as well. According to WebMD, not only does exercising help to accelerate weight loss by burning calories, it also helps to lower LDL in your blood. Like diets or eating plans, there are many different exercise programs and equipment. It is essential that you find the one that is right for you and your personal needs.
Conclusion
While there are other factors to be addressed at a later time, these are the ones that I started with and have selected for a Beginner’s Guide. This is because the overall weight loss program that I took part in had all the above components – it was medically supervised by my health professional team, had an effective weight loss plan, which included a fitness program, all which helped to lower my cholesterol significantly.
Hi Adreyna!
Great article and I think it is really important to inform people about cholesterol, the consequences of high levels of cholesterol and how to control it.
I had my annual medical control today and I have to check on my cholesterol levels, so this article is very helpful for me and I hope for others too. From what you wrote, it seems so easy to keep your cholesterol under control, but it may be more difficult to actually do it, specially the fitness, or at least that’s the part I dislike the most. However, health is important, so I wanted to thank you for informing people about this concerning topic.
Best,
Mariana
Hi Mariana,
I’m glad that you found this post helpful. You are right, it is vital to inform people of the importance of controlling their cholesterol. Knowing your own individual numbers is essential. I commend you for staying on top of yours and having it checked.
While controlling your cholesterol can be challenging, it is easier however than lowering it once it becomes high, especially when trying to do it without prescription drugs.
I understand about the fitness aspect. It took me awhile to get into that part of the program as well. Once I did, I became a firm believer in the efficiency of working out. I will be posting more on the fitness part in the future.
Thanks for stopping by and sharing your input. Please feel free to contact me if I can be of any help.
Blessings,
Adreyna
Thanks for a great article with some very sound advice. Controlling Cholesterol is so important for good long term health and I think you have offered some really great tips here. It definitely needs to be taken seriously.
I think it’s smart that you have mentioned losing some weight to help but doing it with a balanced healthy diet and exercise. And with the help of your medical professional so it can be properly monitored. Appreciate this! Here’s to good health.
Hi Judy,
Thanks – I am glad that you found this article helpful. It’s important for people to have valuable information if they want to choose healthy alternatives for controlling their cholesterol. Since much of it can be controlled by a healthy diet and exercise, it is important to confer with one’s medical professional when making that determination. Wish you great health as well!
Thanks for stopping by. Please feel free to contact me if I can be of any help.
Adreyna
Well thanks for this beginner guide. My father has high cholesterol level and it passed down to me as his son, so I need to control mine carefully. I have always tried to eat healthy, so I’m alright in that department. The fitness program is what I’m struggling. How can we find and know the right fitness program specifically for maintaining cholesterol? Thank you for your answer.
Genetics can play a major part in having high cholesterol, which was my case as well. Yet it sounds like you’re doing a good job in controlling some of the other risk factors by healthy eating. The fitness part, however, can be challenging for many people – difficult to find the right program without a professional trainer or coach. Fortunately, the exercise component was part of the overall health and wellness program that I went through and I was able to see the impact that it had on achieving positive results.
Consequently, I have been doing extensive research on the fitness part and will be writing updated articles dealing with the best fitness programs for controlling cholesterol. Meanwhile, most health professionals agree that walking is always a good place to start. You can begin at your own pace and your health professional can help you choose your overall goal that you will work towards. I will be posting about “walking” in the upcoming fitness articles as well.
Thanks for visiting this site. Please feel free to check back for future posts!
All the best,
Adreyna
Having high cholesterol is such a problem for so many people. At first finding out you have it, you don’t know where to start. It can be a bit traumatic. You automatically get overwhelmed. Laying out the step by step plan of eating healthy and exercise is exactly the right way to do things. Great job and best of luck.
It is true that high cholesterol can be a problem for many people. It is especially dangerous for those who are unaware that they have it and the possible health dangers that they could incur as a result. We are hoping that this site will help people to become more conscious of their individual cholesterol health, and begin to control it through healthy eating and exercise.
Thank you for visiting this site! Please feel free to contact me if I can be of any help.
All the best,
Adreyna
Dear Adreyna,
This is one of the helpful guide I’ve read lately on controlling Cholesterol. I must say I found your post highly uplifting and educational with great advice. I can tell you I have taken some great insights from this post.
The video you embedded is very helpful and informative. Exercise is on my “TO DO List” for a while and after reading your post I am determined to do exercise daily from today. Sharing from your own experience, what you did and tried adds more value to this post.
Eating a well-balanced diet is a must for everyone. We are not paying close attention on what we eat which results in many difficulties. Great information, you have really given a lot of value here.
Much Success!
Paul
Hi Paul,
I am so glad that this article has been helpful to you. It is our mission to provide you with the best information available when seeking alternative ways to begin controlling cholesterol. Yes, it is true that both a well-balance diet and exercise are key components in helping to control cholesterol. I commend you for deciding to add exercise to your “to do” list – great job! Please stay in touch and let us know how you are coming along.
Thanks for visiting this site. Please feel free to contact me if I can be of any help.
All the best,
Adreyna
High blood pressure and high cholesterol run in my family, so I have to be very careful about how I eat.
I am not exercising as I should but my diet is full of fresh vegetables and low salt.
I use other methods for a salty taste. I also marinate my meat to infuse flavors that I may not get due to my limited use of seasonings.
Have you heard about how apple cider vinegar and citrus (lemon, lime) juices can help lower cholesterol and salt intake?
I need to find an exercise program that will be gentle on me because I have back issues as well as carpal tunnel/tendonitis. Do you have any suggestions for people like me?
Thank you for the information.
Gwendolyn J
Hi Gwendolyn – It’s great that you are carefully monitoring your cholesterol (& blood pressure) based on your family history. That’s a great start, especially since you’re following a healthy eating plan as well – incorporating fresh produce and lowering your sodium intake.
In the near future, I will be posting about specific fitness programs and exercises helpful in controlling cholesterol. However, most health experts suggest starting with some kind of walking routine. This is good because you can walk almost anytime and anywhere without much hassle. Nevertheless, I will be sharing updated information on fitness programs that address certain health concerns.
Finally, there are many mixed reviews and studies on the effect of apple cider vinegar and lowering cholesterol. Most experts believe that while apple cider vinegar has definite health benefits, there has been no conclusive evidence to support its cholesterol lowering properties in humans. Yet, they admit that additional research needs to be done. Watch for future updates on that topic as well.
Thanks for stopping by and sharing your input. Please feel free to check back for future updates and let me know if I can be of any additional help.
All the best,
Adreyna