Go away, cholestrol!

I was reading beliefnet.com about aging and high cholestrol level today. The article says the best "treatment" to reducing our cholestrol level is to change our lifestyle to a healthier one. I surely don't want to end up like this lady in the picture...



In my last quarterly cholestrol test at the hospital, I think mine was 6.0, it busted the optimum healthy level of 5.4. That was scary, I thought only old people, or really obese people have high cholestrol. But it was better than early this year where it reached 8.0 and the specialist doctor put me on Victoryn, a cholestrol reducing medication. It must have worked because my cholestrol level improved to a more manageable level. But I still have a lot of work to do before I can be very fit and healthy, back to the fitness level of my mountain climbing and extreme sports days.

Anyways...

I thought of sharing with you these tips I read, on changing our lifestyle to reduce our chance of having high cholesterol. Gaya hidup sihat, seperti yang disarankan oleh Kerajaan Malaysia. I need these, hehe :)

Lifestyle Changes

* Maintain a healthy weight
* If you are overweight, lose weight (mua?)
* Limit the amount of fat and cholesterol you eat (no lamb chops?)
* Eat a healthful diet (*)
* Eat a diet high in fiber (rabbit food....)
* Begin a safe exercise program recommended by your doctor
* Increase physical activity in your daily life, as recommended by your doctor
* Exercise regularly (darn!)
* Don't smoke. If you smoke, quit (fortunately, I'm an environmentalist)
* Limit the amount of alcohol you drink (**) (fortunately, I'm a teetotaler)


(*) one that is low in saturated fat and rich in whole grains, fruits, and vegetables.

(**) Moderate alcohol intake is no more than 2 drinks per day for men and 1 drink per day for women.

Resources & References

American Heart Association

National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute

Primary Care Medicine, 4th ed. Lippincott Williams & Wilkins; 2000