How to lower your cholesterol

Marie-Annick Courtier Author

Apr 25, 2025 |

Lowering cholesterol requires healthy habits that start with regular exercise, weight management, mindful eating and cooking, and limiting alcohol.

Managing cholesterol levels requires a combination of lifelong well-being approaches. Here are my top 5 healthy habits that have been known to be helpful for many of my clients:

1. Adopt a healthy diet prioritizing organic whole foods rich in fiber, greens, legumes, and an array of colorful vegetables and fruits. Consume a very limited amount of saturated fat found in red meat, full-fat dairy, commercial baked goods, and many processed foods. Instead, incorporate healthy fats such as olive oil, avocado, fish rich in omega-3 fatty-acid (wild cod, salmon, tuna, herring or anchovy), and nuts (almonds, hazelnuts, pistachios, walnuts, or flaxseeds). Reducing animal protein intake and substituting them with plant-based sources can further enhance overall well-being.
2. Maintain a healthy weight and avoid the roller-coaster of weight gain and loss. Watch around the abdomen, as it is found to be a cause of increased cholesterol levels in people with excess weight. Losing even a little bit of weight can contribute to improved cholesterol levels.
3. Exercise can raise good cholesterol (HDL) and lower bad cholesterol (LDL). Whether you love walking, playing tennis, swimming, riding, hiking, or whatever is your ticket; just do it for a minimum of 45 minutes, five days a week. As you get way older, and if needed, you can go down to 30 minutes 3 to 5 days a week.
4. Adopt healthy cooking techniques. Steaming, baking, parboiling, broiling, grilling, or stir-frying with minimal fat helps retain nutrients while minimizing harmful additives. Those techniques allow you to prepare foods with minimum oils. Enhance foods with herbs and spices. Limit salt to a minimum.
5. Avoid smoking. Limit alcohol consumption which can raise cholesterol and triglyceride levels. Alcohol can also damage blood vessels. The best is to cease drinking or doing so in serious moderation.

Consistency in these healthy habits is key for long-term cholesterol management. Need a coach to help you, feel free to contact me here.

Categories: : Coaching Tips, Health, Wellness