Getting your LDL to goal level is priority No.
1 to prevent or delay cardiovascular disease.
The same applies to triglycerides.
For example, a 200-pound adult would aim to lose 10-20 pounds.
Once the weight is off, keep up your healthy lifestyle to maintain your new weight.
– Cut 200-500 calories a day from the number of calories it takes to maintain your weight.
Reducing caloric intake will lower both LDL and triglycerides.
Other ways to improve cholesterol:
– Reduce sugar intake:Cut the amount of added sugars you eat.
This is especially important for people with high triglycerides.
Limit how much sugar you use to sweeten drinks or in recipes.
The oils that contain omega-3 fats are olive and canola oils.
The oils high in omega-6 fats are corn, soybean, and sunflower oils.
– Trans fat:The ADA also recommends avoiding foods that contain trans fat.
Labels are not required to list trans fat if the total is less than 0.5 grams per serving.
Eating multiple servings of such foods means trans-fat intake can add up.
Reducing elevated LDL (bad) cholesterol is typically the top priority.
To achieve the target goals, many people need to take a medication in the statin category.
All medications should be prescribed and monitored by a health care provider.
It also might increase insulin sensitivity and cause other positive health responses.
The recommendation for alcohol use is mild or moderate consumption.
Using alcohol in moderation is considered one drink a day for women and two drinks a day for men.
Talk with your health care provider about the pluses and minuses of alcohol for you and your health.
Stop Smoking to Lower Cholesterol
The ADA recommends if you smoke to quit to improve diabetes management.
Quitting smoking can also improve your overall health and reduce your risk of cancer.
There are numerous programs, support systems, and medications available to help you quit smoking.
Studies show it might take a few tries to quit your smoking habit for good.
Not smoking when you have diabetes can help you reduce your risks of cardiovascular disease and other diabetes complications.
