1. Know It
Everyone should know his or her cholesterol. What number it should be depends on several factors, including your personal and family history of heart disease, as well as whether you have cardiovascular risk factors, such as obesity, high blood pressure, diabetes, and smoking.

• If your risk is high, aim for a LDL of less than 70.
• If your risk is moderate, target LDL of under 130.
• If your risk is low, less than 160 is a reasonable target.

2. Treat It
Lifestyle modifications make sense for anyone with elevated cholesterol. But if your cardiovascular risk is high, you may also need to take a cholesterol-lowering drug.

3. Move It
In addition to lowering LDL “bad” cholesterol, regular physical activity can raise HDL “good” cholesterol by up to 10%. The benefits come even with moderate exercise, such as brisk walking.
Whatever form your exercise takes, the key is to do it with regularity, at least five days a week and for a minimum amount of time, 30 – 45 minutes.

4. Avoid It
Cut back on saturated fats and start using more “healthy” fats. Try substituting canola oil or olive oil for vegetable oil, butter, stick margarine, lard, or shortening. Another way to cut “bad” fat? Less red meat and more fish.

5. Eat It
Soluble fiber can help lower cholesterol. Fruits and vegetables, including whole grains, are good sources not only of heart-healthy antioxidants but also cholesterol-lowering dietary fiber. Good sources of soluble fiber include dried beans, oats, and barley, as well as fiber products containing psyllium.

6. Go Fish
Fish and fish oil are full of cholesterol-lowering omega-3 fatty acids
Eat fish two or three times a week. If you don’t like to cook fish, canned salmon and tuna both are good sources of omega-3s. If you really don’t like fish, fish oil capsule supplements can be considered after consultation with your physician. Plant sources of omega-3s include soybeans, canola, flaxseeds, walnuts, and their oils, but they don’t provide the same omega-3s as fish.

7. Moderate It
Moderate consumption of alcohol can raise levels of HDL “good” cholesterol by as much as 10%. Doctors say up to one drink a day makes sense for women, up to two a day for men. But given the risks of excessive drinking, the American Heart Association cautions against increasing your alcohol intake or starting to drink if you don’t already.

8. Switch It.
Switch from butter or margarine to margarine-like spreads and other foods fortified with cholesterol-lowering plant compounds known as stanols.

9. Don’t Do It.
Smoking lowers levels of HDL “good” cholesterol and is a major risk factor for heart disease.

10. Monitor It
If you have high cholesterol, you should monitor it regularly. And that’s where WhiteGlove Chronic care services come in.

WhiteGlove’s Mobile Chronic Care Membership Services help you proactively, conveniently, and affordably manage your chronic care needs.

WhiteGlove’s Mobile Cholesterol Management service includes:

• Medical care that comes to you – wherever you are in our service areas
• Free phone consultation and follow-up – dedicated clinical resource to answer questions
• Automated scheduling of in-person, phone, and diagnostic test visits – automated treatment plan according to national standards of care
• Generic prescription medications – medications are prescribed and delivered
• Referral to specialists when needed – actively include other providers when needed
• On-line access to health information – medical histories, labs, visits, Rx meds, etc.

These services are based on national standards of care and are available to anyone within WhiteGlove’s service areas in Arizona, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, and Texas.

Other Chronic Care services offered by WhiteGlove include Blood Pressure, Diabetes Type-II and Thyroid management.

Liz MacDonald
Social Media Associate – WhiteGlove House Call Health

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