More than medication

Taking control

Managing high cholesterol is about a combination of things – taking some exercise, keeping your weight down, changing your diet. These lifestyle changes will usually be tried first, before turning to medication, unless you have additional risks to your heart. You may find that just a few small changes to your lifestyle can really help to bring down your 'bad' LDL cholesterol. Switching to a healthy lifestyle. Find out more about diet and lifestyle changes that will reduce your cholesterol levels.

1. Fight the flab

   Losing weight, especially around your waist, could help to lower ‘bad’ LDL cholesterol levels

2. Get into shape

   Taking some mild exercise won't just help you to lose weight. It'll get your circulation going too, and boost your 'good' HDL cholesterol levels.

3. Watch what you eat

   Choosing foods that are low in saturated fat will reduce the cholesterol you take in through your diet. This means opting for lower fat dairy products and seafood and, if you like red meat, going for leaner cuts. To ensure that you are eating the right proportion of food types, you may need to: Eat less food containing saturated fat. Which foods? Butter, cheese, cream and other dairy products, fatty meat, ghee, cakes, pastries and processed food contain lots of saturated fats. Saturated fats are converted by our body into cholesterol, so it is important that we reduce our intake. Take a look at the labels on the foods you buy to see how much saturated fat they contain. A man should eat no more than 30g saturated fat a day; for a woman the maximum should be 20g a day. Instead, eat more food containing unsaturated fat. Which foods? Vegetable oils, vegetable margarine, oily fish, avocado, nuts and seeds contain high levels of unsaturated fat. But try not to eat too much fat overall, so you don’t put on weight. Eat more fibre. Which foods? Fruit, vegetables, beans, wholegrain rice and bread. Foods containing cholesterol such as shellfish, eggs and liver don’t make much difference to your blood cholesterol as long as you eat them in sensible amounts.

4. Go easy on the booze

   In cholesterol terms, it’s ok to drink moderate amounts of alcohol. Indeed, it may even raise your ‘good’ HDL cholesterol. However, regularly drinking too much alcohol can lead to raised blood pressure and raised triglycerides and raised cholesterol.

5. Quit smoking

   You’ll boost your HDL cholesterol levels by stopping smoking which is one of the best ways to improve your overall health.

6. Stay cool

   Work at reducing your stress, which has been linked to raised cholesterol levels and is an additional risk factor for heart disease. See Getting support for ways to relax body and mind.

Embracing change

Almost anyone can achieve healthy cholesterol levels. Medical treatment for cholesterol is highly effective and, together with healthy lifestyle changes, can give you a new start in life.

But to get these benefits you need to commit to change - and that can often seem an impossible task. You may have to take daily medication for the rest of your life and you'll almost certainly have to commit to taking more exercise and making healthier diet choices.

Many people find, however, that changing their everyday life for the better isn't as tricky as it sounds. Often, small changes can bring big benefits. And it's surprisingly rewarding to think that you're starting a new, healthy life that will make you feel better in body and mind.

See some tips to ease the first few weeks and months after your diagnosis.

Five ways to help yourself

1.  Know your number

Make sure you get your cholesterol tested regularly. Knowing your cholesterol number will allow you to manage your level of cholesterol and so reduce your risk of heart disease and stroke.

2.  Talk about your cholesterol

Share your numbers with family and friends. This will enable them to help with your new eating and exercise programme - and give you the support you need to make it happen.

3.  Get learning

Getting a real feel for your medical problem is a good way to take control and manage high cholesterol.

4. Be realistic

Don't attempt too much all at once. There's not much point in changing suddenly to a diet that's going to be too much of a chore to keep up. You may be more successful if you introduce small changes - like swapping to low fat dairy foods - bit by bit. Make sure that the healthy food you end up with is something you and your family enjoy. Similarly, don't be too ambitious with your exercise regime - choose something that's fun and that you'll stick to - joining a dance class or going for a rigorous walk in the park may be just as effective as joining a gym, for instance.

5. Stay positive

Focus on the extra years of good quality, healthy life that you're likely to get with your new lifestyle. Don't hide from the diagnosis - the sooner you start doing something about it, the sooner your cholesterol will start to return to a healthy level.