How to help yourself with high cholesterol?

There are many ways to help lower your cholesterol. In fact, small changes over the long term can add up and lead to positive change.

What is cholesterol?

This is a fatty substance in your blood that is produced naturally in the liver. The cells in your body use cholesterol to stay healthy. Cholesterol is carried around your body by proteins in your blood. Proteins help your body's tissues and organs function properly.
When cholesterol and proteins combine, they are called lipoproteins.

What is „good“ and „bad“ cholesterol?

There are two main types of lipoproteins, often called good and bad cholesterol.

• High-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol:
  This cholesterol carries excess cholesterol back to the liver. The liver breaks it down and it is expelled from the body. It is called „good“ cholesterol because it helps to remove „bad“ cholesterol from the blood.
• Non-high-density lipoprotein (non-HDL) cholesterol:
  This cholesterol carries cholesterol from the liver to cells in the body. It is called „bad“ cholesterol because if you have too much of it, it builds up on the walls of the arteries.

Your total cholesterol is the sum of HDL cholesterol and non-HDL cholesterol. For a healthy heart, the goal is to have a low level of non-HDL and a higher level of HDL. This means low values of the „bad“ cholesterol and higher values of the „good“ cholesterol.

 What is dietary cholesterol?

Some foods naturally contain cholesterol, such as eggs, liver, kidneys and seafood, for example shrimp. This is called dietary cholesterol.
For most people, dietary cholesterol doesn't have a big impact on cholesterol levels. You can consume foods containing cholesterol as part of a healthy diet.

It is much more important to reduce the amount of saturated fat you take in. Saturated fat can reduce the liver's ability to remove cholesterol, so it builds up in your blood.

What is high cholesterol?

High cholesterol means you have too much cholesterol in your blood.
When people talk about high cholesterol, it means they have high levels of „bad“ (non-HDL) cholesterol.

Lifestyle changes

There are many small changes you can start making today to lower your cholesterol. You can choose one change from each of the following sections or commit to making one change each week. Remember, small changes add up and make a big difference. Give yourself time - when you make lots of small changes, you're more likely to stick with them.

Eat healthier products

Eating more fruit and vegetables and limiting foods and drinks high in saturated fat, sugar and salt can help lower cholesterol.

A good starting point for healthier eating is to pay attention to the way you prepare your food. Try grilling, boiling or baking your food instead of frying it to use less oil.

Aim to have half of your plate filled with a variety of vegetables or fruit

Try these easy food replacements:

• replace the oil with spreads made from olive, rapeseed or sunflower oil
• eat wholemeal bread instead of white bread
• make sauces yourself instead of buying ready-made
• eat more fish and less red meat

Be careful with saturated fats

Keeping an eye out for foods high in saturated fat can help you make healthier choices and lower your cholesterol.

Replace foods high in saturated fat with those lower in saturated fat:

Full-fat cheeses - replace with reduced-fat cheeses

Milk - use milk of 1- 1.5% fat content

Oil, ghee, lard- replace with plant-based spreads (olive oil, canola)

Cakes and cakes - replace with fresh fruit

Chips and salty snacks - try popcorn without butter or a small handful of nuts

Coconut or palm oil - olive, rapeseed or sunflower oil

Learn to read food labels

It can also be helpful to look at the labels of the foods you buy. If you have high cholesterol, it's especially important to check the label for saturated fat content.

Eat more fibre

Eating fiber is good for the gut and can help lower cholesterol. Fiber helps reduce the amount of cholesterol that is absorbed into your bloodstream.

Foods rich in fiber:

• oats
• barley
• legumes, such as peas, chickpeas and lentils
• whole grain foods
• fruits and vegetables

Many of us don't get enough fiber in our diet. To increase your intake, you can try the following:

• replace white rice with brown rice
• add lentils and chickpeas to your food, for example in moussaka or soup
• choose wholemeal bread
• start your day with a high-fibre breakfast cereal, oatmeal and fresh fruit

Move more

Many activities can get you moving, such as walking, playing with children or grandchildren, gardening or housework. To look after your heart, you should aim to be active every day. Adults should aim for 150 minutes of physical activity a week (about 20-30 minutes of exercise a day).

There are many ways to incorporate exercise into your daily routine:

• Get off the bus one stop early and walk the remaining distance.
• Walk the kids to school instead of driving.
• Incorporate walking into your daily routine, for example during your lunch break.
• Try a new hobby or group activity, such as gardening, yoga or running in the park.
• Make exercise social - you can go for a walk with a friend.
• If you can, use the stairs instead of an elevator.
• Try exercises while sitting, or use a chair for support.

Many people find that exercise is a great way to meet new people, catch up with friends or take time out for themselves. It can give you a break from a busy day.