Losing Weight
The more weight a person gains, the more his or her
cholesterol level tends to rise. To lower
cholesterol, a doctor will normally recommend that an overweight person lose weight. In fact, just a little weight loss can decrease your
cholesterol level by about 10 percent. Weight management is especially important for those with several factors, including
high triglyceride and/or low
HDL levels and being overweight with a large waist measurement (more than 40 inches for men and more than 35 inches for women).
Your healthcare provider will probably suggest both a low fat/
low cholesterol diet and moderate exercise if you are overweight.
Exercising
A moderate exercise program -- such as taking a brisk walk 30 to 40 minutes a day on most, if not all, days -- will help you keep your heart and blood vessels in shape and lower your cholesterol. Exercise will not only lower
LDL, which is the "
bad cholesterol," but it will raise high density lipoproteins (HDL), which is the "
good cholesterol." Be sure to check with your doctor before starting any type of exercise program.
(Click Exercise and Cholesterol for more information about how moderate levels of physical activity can help in getting your cholesterol lower.)
Quitting Smoking or Nicotine Use
Nicotine in cigarettes, cigars, snuff, chewing tobacco, and pipe tobacco can make blood vessels narrow and can lower HDL.
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