Lifestyle Modification to Prevent and Treat Hyperlipidemia
Hyperlipidemia is when you have high blood levels of fats, including cholesterol and triglycerides. However, this condition and familial combined hyperlipidemia can be managed and treated with lifestyle modification.
Changing what you eat and what you do every day can effectively lower your lipids, minimize the risk of stroke and heart disease, and enhance the effects of cholesterol-lowering medications that you are taking.
Here are some tips on what you can do at home to prevent and treat hyperlipidemia.
- Eat healthily. Eating a heart-healthy diet can decrease LDL cholesterol levels and increase HDL cholesterol.
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- Eat lean protein food sources such as fish or chicken instead of red meat.
- Avoid full-fat dairy products, fried foods, and processed foods such as sausage or bacon high in saturated fat. Do not eat foods with partially hydrogenated oils, which can raise LDL cholesterol levels.
- When cooking, use olive oil or canola oil because they contain monounsaturated fats that can help reduce LDL levels.
- Include omega-3-rich foods such as herring, salmon, mackerel, flaxseeds, and walnuts in your daily meal.
- Add more fruits and vegetables to increase your fiber and vitamin intake. All types of fibers are good for your heart. Soluble fiber can reduce your LDL cholesterol levels.
- Keep a healthy weight. Losing weight can help reduce cholesterol levels. First, you need to calculate your daily calorie intake and how many calories you naturally burn. Cutting some calories from the daily diet and doing more calorie-burning activities can help you with weight loss. However, always consult your doctor or dietitian for a proper eating and exercise plan.
- Your total cholesterol levels can decrease if you do a 40-minute moderate to vigorous exercise 3-4 days a week or a total of 150 minutes weekly. Start an exercise that you enjoy or add physical activities such as biking to work or using stairs instead of escalators in your daily routine.
- Quit smoking. Smoking can increase triglycerides and decrease HDL cholesterol levels. The risk of heart disease is higher with smoking. Work with your doctor to create a strategy to stop smoking.
If hyperlipidemia does not adequately respond to lifestyle modification, the doctor will prescribe medications to lower your cholesterol and triglycerides. Hyperlipidemia can usually be controlled and treated to avoid severe health complications; if left untreated, it can lead to a higher risk of cardiovascular diseases and other serious health issues.
Article by
Dr Prapaporn Phimphilai
Internal Medicine
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