Health and Fitness Information Center

Controlling Your Cholesterol Level, Part 2

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• Weight Control

Substitute unsaturated fats for saturated fats
Polyunsaturated fats (such as safflower and corn oil) and monounsaturated fats (such as olive oil) help to lower blood cholesterol levels.

But this doesn't mean you should add any of these fats to your diet - you should still keep your total fat intake at or below 30 percent of your daily calories. Replace butter in cooking with olive or corn oil. Substitute fish for some of the red meat and poultry in your diet.

Lose weight, if necessary
Not only does excess body fat raise your total blood cholesterol and LDL levels, but it also is an independent risk factor for heart disease. On average, each two pounds of excess body fat contributes one mg//dL of total cholesterol.

Exercise
A program of regular aerobic exercise may help lower total cholesterol and raise HDL. To get this benefit, as well as the other benefits exercise offers, you should exercise at least three times per week for thirty minutes a session.

Increase your consumption of food high in soluble fiber
Oat bran is certainly the most familiar of these food along with legumes and other vegetables, such as black-eyed peas, kidney beans, sweet potatoes, zucchini, and broccoli. In the fruit category, bananas, apples, pears, and oranges have some soluble fiber.

Don't Smoke
Smoking increases total cholesterol and reduces HDL, and is an independent risk factor for heart disease as well.