What is high cholesterol?
- High cholesterol is when you have too much of a fatty substance called cholesterol in your blood.
- You're more likely to get high cholesterol if you're over 50, a man, you've been through the menopause, or you're of South Asian or sub-Saharan African origin. It can also run in families.
- It can also be caused by eating fatty food, not exercising enough, being overweight, smoking and drinking alcohol.
- You can lower your cholesterol by eating healthily and getting more exercise. Some people also need to take medicine.
- Too much cholesterol can block your blood vessels. It makes you more likely to have heart problems or a stroke.
- High cholesterol does not usually cause symptoms. You can only find out if you have it from a blood test.
Ways to lower your cholesterol
To reduce your cholesterol, try to cut down on fatty food, especially food that contains a type of fat called saturated fat.
You can still have foods that contain a healthier type of fat called unsaturated fat.
Check labels on food to see what type of fat it has in it.
- oily fish, like mackerel and salmon đĨ
- olive oil, rapeseed oil and spreads made from these oils
- brown rice, wholegrain bread and wholewheat pasta đđ
- nuts and seeds đĨ
- fruits and vegetables đđĢ
- meat pies, sausages and fatty meat đĨŠ
- butter, lard and ghee đ§
- cream and hard cheese, like cheddar đ§
- cakes and biscuits đ°
- food that contains coconut oil or palm oil
Aim to do at least 150 minutes (2.5 hours) of exercise a week.
Some good things to try when starting out include:
- walking – try to walk fast enough so your heart starts beating faster đļâī¸âĄī¸
- swimming đâī¸
- cycling đ´âī¸
Try a few different exercises to find something you like doing. You're more likely to keep doing it if you enjoy it.
Smoking can raise your cholesterol and make you more likely to have serious problems like heart attacks, strokes and cancer.
If you want to stop smoking, you can get help and support from:
- your GP
- the NHS Stop Smoking Service – your GP can refer you or you can ring the helpline on 0300 123 1044 (England only)
They can give you useful tips and advice about ways to stop cravings.
Try to:
- avoid drinking more than 14 units of alcohol a week
- have several drink-free days each week
- avoid drinking lots of alcohol in a short time (binge drinking)
Ask your GP for help and advice if you're struggling to cut down.
âšī¸ Where else can I find helpful information?
- Heart UK Educational booklet - Heart UK pdf
- High cholesterol - NHS
