FINAL THOUGHTS
Lowering your cholesterol can be a tricky thing for some people. But don’t give up!
Below are some other things to think about and do.
- Lose Weight
If your weight is higher than it should be, slimming down may significantly lower your cholesterol level. Even shedding just five to ten pounds may be enough to improve your cholesterol level. Be careful not to crash diet though. A mere half pound per week is steady and healthy.
- Learn All You Can
There’s a plethora of information out there on cholesterol. Make sure you learn all that you can. You can find information in these sources:
- Your doctor
- The Internet
- The Library
- Newsletters
- Cut Stress
Stress can have a powerful, indirect effect on your cholesterol levels. If you have too much extra anxiety, your body gets out of whack, and your LDL’s can sky-rocket. Here are some good ways to cut that stress:
- Take ten minute breaks during the day to relax and/or meditate
- Laugh often
- Pamper yourself
- Socialize
- Check Your Thyroid
If nothing seems to help get your cholesterol down, you may want to have your thyroid checked. A low thyroid level can not only make your cholesterol high, but it can make you very tired. It’s a good idea to get your thyroid checked regularly.
- Quit Smoking
There are thousands of reasons to stop smoking. One of these reasons is to lower your cholesterol. Smoking is a cause of high cholesterol levels and heart disease. It also raises the amount of LDL cholesterol (“bad” cholesterol), and lowers the amount of HDL cholesterol (“good” cholesterol). The good news is, if you stop smoking now, you can reverse this damage.
- Make a Commitment
All lifestyle changes take commitment. If your goal is to lower your cholesterol, make it a real commitment. Make menus. Find an exercise buddy. Schedule your days. As you work at it, those numbers will come down and you’ll feel great!