Raised cholesterol can increase your risk of developing problems such as heart disease or a stroke (cardiovascular disease) in the future. We often prescribed medications, such as statins, for patient who have an elevated cholesterol and an increased risk of heart attack or stroke.
If you have been advised that you have a raised cholesterol there are lots of things that you can do reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease, whether or not a statin medication has been prescribed to you.
It could be worth trying to make some changes to your diet and lifestyle improve your cholesterol and reduce your risk. Eating a healthy diet and regular exercise can help lower the level of cholesterol in your blood.
Fats and cholesterol
There are two main types of fat – saturated and unsaturated. Eating foods that are high in saturated fat can raise cholesterol levels in the blood. Most people in the UK eat too much saturated fat.
Foods high in saturated fat include:
- sausages, fatty cuts of meat
Eating foods that contain unsaturated fat instead of saturated fat can actually help reduce cholesterol levels.
Try to replace foods containing saturated fats with foods that are high in unsaturated fats, such as:
- oily fish (such as mackerel and salmon)
- nuts (such as almonds and cashews, not roasted nuts)
- seeds (such as sunflower and pumpkin)
- spreads (made from as sunflower or olive oil)
- Uncooked olive oil contains unsaturated fat (heating olive oil e.g. frying or roasting food in it turns the unsaturated fats in olive oil to saturated fats)
Trans fats can also raise cholesterol levels. Trans fats can be found naturally at low levels in some foods, such as those from animals, including meat and dairy products.
Artificial trans fats can be found in hydrogenated fat, so some processed foods such as biscuits and cakes will contain trans fats.
As part of a healthy diet, try to cut down on foods containing trans fats or saturated fats and replace them with foods containing unsaturated fats.
You should also reduce the total amount of fat in your diet. Try microwaving, steaming, poaching, boiling or grilling instead of roasting or frying. Choose lean cuts of meat and go for low-fat varieties of dairy products and spreads, or eat just a small amount of full-fat varieties.
Fibre and cholesterol
There are two different types of fibre – soluble fibre and insoluble fibre. Most foods contain a mixture of both.
Soluble fibre can be digested by your body (insoluble fibre cannot), and it may help reduce the amount of cholesterol in your blood.
Good sources of soluble fibre include:
Try to include more of these foods in your diet. Aim to eat at least five portions of fruit and vegetables each day.
Cholesterol-lowering products
There's evidence that foods containing certain added ingredients, such as plant sterols and stanols, can reduce levels of cholesterol in the blood.
Sterols and stanols can be found in specially developed products, such as some spreads and yoghurts. These foods are aimed at people who need to lower their cholesterol levels. People who don't have high cholesterol shouldn't eat these products regularly, particularly children and pregnant or breastfeeding women.
If your doctor has told you that you have high cholesterol, you can lower it by changing your diet without having to eat special products. If you do eat foods that are designed to lower cholesterol, read the label carefully to avoid eating too much.
Get active
An active lifestyle can also help lower cholesterol levels. Activities can range from walking and cycling to more vigorous exercise, such as running and dancing.
Doing 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity every week can improve your cholesterol levels.
Moderate-intensity aerobic activity means you're working hard enough to raise your heart rate and break a sweat.
More information about lowering your cholesterol can be found at:
https://www.nhsinform.scot/illnesses-and-conditions/blood-and-lymph/high-cholesterol
Information about becoming more active in South Lanarkshire can be found at:
https://www.slleisureandculture.co.uk/info/169/fairhill_-_lifestyles