Did you know that in 2023 alone, it is estimated that about 24% of men and 23% of women in the U.S. had high cholesterol levels? Additionally, these numbers have consistently been increasing since 2019. Permanent high cholesterol levels like those observed in the country are alarming because they have multiple negative impacts on health. Among the consequences, they can eventually lead to plaque buildup in your arteries and therefore lead to blood flow problems which result in heart disease or a stroke.
However, we are not here to scare you. While having high levels of cholesterol showing in your blood tests is a warning sign, it is not a sentence. With the right lifestyle improvements and medical supervision, you can control it and enjoy a healthier body. At South Plains Rural Health Services, we strive to help you regain your quality of life and reduce your risks of heart disease and other cholesterol-related complications. How? We’re diving into the ways to improve your cholesterol levels below.
What is Cholesterol? Is It Bad for Me?
Cholesterol is a natural, fatty substance that is in our blood and produced by our liver. While you might have heard that it is bad and should be controlled, the truth is that healthy cholesterol levels help us build proper cell membrane structure, absorb nutrients, make hormones, and maintain an efficient metabolism.
If you are revising your blood tests, you will see that there are two types of cholesterol:
- Low-density lipoprotein (LDL): Commonly referred to as “bad cholesterol,” this type can lead to a plaque buildup in your arteries and cause blood flow issues. High levels of LDL are associated with heart disease.
- High-density lipoprotein (HDL): Also known as “good cholesterol”, it can actually help reduce other cholesterol types from your system, as well as bring antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antithrombotic benefits.
On said tests, your cholesterol levels will show up as milligrams per deciliter, or mg/dL. Be aware of your number and check on which bracket you are:
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LDL Cholesterol |
HDL Cholesterol |
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Keep in mind that there could be certain variations on the specific numbers depending on your sex, age, genetics, and other factors.
➡ You might find this interesting: How Can a Family Doctor Support My Health?
A Checklist to Improve Your Cholesterol Levels
While cholesterol management medicines exist and are a great alternative for improving your heart health, most doctors will first recommend key routine changes that will truly make the difference from the inside out.
- Follow a Heart-Conscious Diet
- Increase Your Heart Rate—with Movement
- A Healthy Weight
- Quit Smoking
Follow a Heart-Conscious Diet
A diet that’s beneficial for your heart will do the following:
- Limit your saturated and trans fats intake: These are found in red meat, full-fat dairy products, margarine, and fried or baked foods.
- Integrate Omega-3 fats: These won’t increase LDL cholesterol and can actually help reduce blood pressure. You can try adding salmon, mackerel, sardines, walnuts, and other sources.
- Increase soluble fiber consumption: Oats, beans, apples, avocados, carrots, lentils, etc, can help manage your bloodstream’s cholesterol absorption.
- Moderate alcohol intake: While casual alcohol consumption can actually help increase HDL levels, heavy drinking can do the opposite and stimulate LDL and triglycerides production.
Increase Your Heart Rate—With Movement!
The great thing about physical activity is that there is a wide range you can choose from, depending not only on your condition and age, but also on what you genuinely enjoy doing. Regular exercise not only lowers LDL cholesterol and triglycerides levels, but also raises HDL cholesterol, which helps further protect your heart.
Along with your doctor, evaluate your physical condition and determine the ideal routine for you.
A Healthy Weight
A great diet paired with regular physical activity should also help you manage your weight, which ultimately also has an impact on your heart health. Being overweight affects your body’s ability to properly handle lipoproteins like cholesterol or triglycerides. In fact, it is estimated that for every extra 10 pounds, your system produces 10 extra mg. of cholesterol daily.
Quit Smoking
When thinking about the impacts smoking has in our bodies, cancer or respiratory issues are the first to come to mind. Nonetheless, when it comes to cholesterol, cigarette smoke has also been shown to lower HDL and increase LDL levels, make your blood thicker and stickier (more likely to clot), narrow your blood vessels, and affect your ability to naturally manage cholesterol.
Smoking for extended periods of time can also directly affect your HDL function, which means that, eventually, it impedes its ability to reverse the damaging effects of LDL cholesterol. For these and other reasons, smokers are two to four times more likely to suffer from heart disease.
Despite this, research has shown that HDL levels can increase quickly after quitting, so you could be enjoying the benefits sooner than you think.
Medical Help for Cholesterol Management
Some additional factors could make it harder for you to naturally manage your cholesterol levels. If that’s your case—we still have your back. After careful consideration, your doctor can recommend a single drug or a combination of different medicines to successfully control your cholesterol levels.
Common medications include statins, cholesterol absorption inhibitors, bile acid sequestrants, PCK9 inhibitors, and others. Remember that these types of drugs must be prescribed by a certified professional and taken under supervision. Your provider will take many aspects into account when designing your plan. And, of course, make sure to maintain your routine improvements to achieve faster and better results.
Our team at South Plains Rural Health Services will be glad to meet you and know you are on the path to restoring your health and peace of mind. We can help you not only identify cholesterol levels, but also help you manage them, prevent, and treat heart disease.
You can set up a visit to get your levels checked at any of our Texas locations in Levelland, Lamesa, or Big Spring. Call today or pick an appointment time with our online scheduling tool.
South Plains Rural Health: Caring for your family, growing with your community.