Lower cholesterol with diet
A Dietitian’s Guide to lowering your cholesterol without medication
Key takeaways:
Medication is not always the first step in lowering your cholesterol
You can reduce cholesterol by increasing fiber, improving fat quality, staying active, and making small, consistent lifestyle changes.
Chesapeake Nutrition Company’s dietitians can help you lower your cholesterol.
Opening lab work results takes me to a new level of anxiety. As we age, despite a healthy lifestyle, we may be alarmed to see more “abnormal” readings than we’d like.
When it comes to cholesterol levels, it can also be confusing as we decipher the numbers, tests, and treatment options. You might think, “I feel fine!” If you have high cholesterol you may not have any symptoms. But over time it may quietly increase the risk for heart disease.
Your doctor may suggest taking medication to lower your cholesterol. If you have concerns about the side effects of medication, they may suggest focusing on improving lifestyle habits first.
Lifestyle changes to lower cholesterol
If lifestyle change is what you’re looking for, you’ve come to the right place! The dietitians at Chesapeake Nutrition Company will work with you to create a personalized Roadmap to a heart healthy diet. We’ll break lowering cholesterol into manageable, bite-sized milestones using realistic, sustainable strategies.
Start making changes to lower cholesterol through DIET:
1. Increase soluble fiber by eating more oats, beans, lentils, apples, pears, grapes, citrus fruits, strawberries, flax & chia seeds. Aim for 5-10 grams of soluble fiber daily.
Soluble fiber helps bile acid binds to cholesterol (and we flush it down in our stool!) and reduces how much cholesterol is absorbed into the bloodstream
2. Reduce and/or replace saturated fat. Saturated fat can raise LDL cholesterol. High LDL can cause plaque buildup in your arteries= increases heart disease risk.
Replace fried foods with baked, broiled, roasted, air-fried, etc.
Replace red meat with lean skinless poultry, fish or veggie based meals
Reduce processed foods like sausage and bacon
Replace full-fat dairy with lower fat dairy products or plant based alternatives
Swap tropical oils like coconut and palm for olive or avocado oil
3. Eat fatty fish twice a week. Options include salmon, trout, tuna, mackerel, herring, and sardines. They’re high in Omega-3s EPA and DHA which support heart health.
4. Reduce refined carbs and excess sugar. Having too many of sugar can raise triglycerides, increase inflammation, and strain your heart over time
Let’s not forget about exercise! Being physically active 3-4 days a week for about 40 minutes can improve heart health markers.
Sometimes, despite your best efforts, cholesterol may remain high due to family history or other conditions like diabetes. Talk to your dietitian about next steps. It’s amazing how much better you’ll feel taking charge of your health.
Author Shannon Svikhart, RDN
Resources:
Check out our blog article to help you decide if you should see a cardiologist
Learn more about the effects of processed meat on heart health in this UCLA Health article
Decipher cholesterol labs with the American Heart Association- HDL, LDL, and Triglycerides
Review the guidelines for the management of patients with chronic coronary disease
See what Massachusetts General says are the worst foods for high cholesterol
