High Cholesterol Prevention
Except where genetics plays a role, many types of high cholesterol can be prevented and controlled with healthy lifestyle choices.
Reduce Your Risk of High Cholesterol
You can lower your levels of good cholesterol (HDL), lower your levels of bad cholesterol (LDL) and lower your triglycerides with these lifestyle changes:
- Take part in some kind of physical activity for 30 minutes each day
- Eat a diet low in saturated fats, trans fats, cholesterol and sodium
- Eat a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, high-fiber foods, fat-free foods and low-fat dairy
- Limit carbohydrates to less than 60 percent of total calories
- Stop smoking and limit exposure to second-hand smoke
- Treat high blood pressure, if needed
- Limit alcohol consumption
Tests and Screenings for High Cholesterol
Your WellStar physician can run a lipoprotein profile using a small blood sample from your arm. If your physician is screening for your total cholesterol, HDL, LDL and triglyceride levels, you will need to fast – no food, liquid or pills – for nine to 12 hours before the test. Otherwise, the test will only indicate total cholesterol and your HDL (good cholesterol) level. (If results indicate total cholesterol of more than 200 mg/dL or HDL before 40 mg/dL, your physician will ask you to fast and take blood test again, yielding the full lipoprotein profile). Optimum results include:
- Total cholesterol: Optimum is less than 200 mg/dL
- HDL (good cholesterol): Optimum is 40 mg/dL and above
- LDL (bad cholesterol): Optimum is less than 130 mg/dL, unless you are diabetic or have coronary artery disease
- Triglycerides: Preferred is less than 150 mg/dL
These numbers do not take into account your age, gender, risk factors, diet or other health concerns. If you take a home test or participate in a health screening that includes a cholesterol panel, be sure to have your WellStar physician interpret your results. Your physician will determine the frequency of follow-up screenings, prescribe any necessary medications and recommend changes you can make to improve your cholesterol counts.