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Effects of Lifestyle Habits on Cholesterol

Written By: Debbie Marovich, R.Ph., CDE,
Rite Aid Pharmacist
Sammamish, WA

Your choice of lifestyle habits can impact your cholesterol levels and the health of your heart.  There are many healthy habits that you can adopt to regulate cholesterol levels and subsequently your chance of developing coronary heart disease (CHD) which can lead to a heart attack. 

Regular Exercise
Regular exercise increases your HDL cholesterol which is considered your good cholesterol.  HDL cholesterol carries bad cholesterol back to the liver so that it can be eliminated from the body.  Desirable HDL levels are a minimum 40mg/dl for men and 50mg/dl for women.  The risk of CHD increases by 2-3% for every 1mg/dl decrease of HDL. 

Speak with your physician before starting an exercise program.  Typically, moderate exercise activity starts with 20 minute duration and increases up to 60 minutes.  For optimal benefit, you should strive for an exercise frequency from 5 to 7 days per week.

Not Smoking
Not smoking is a healthy habit that not only benefits you, but those around you as well.  Smoking is one of the six major risk factors for CHD along with high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, being overweight and physical inactivity.  Smoking lowers HDL cholesterol levels.  Smoking also decreases your tolerance for physical activity, making it harder to get the activity you need to help you reach healthy cholesterol levels.  Smoking is also one of the risk factors that you can change.   A cessation in smoking for one year will reduce the risk factor for CHD by half.  The risk of CHD for a person related to smoking decreases over time to that of someone who has never smoked.  Avoid second hand smoke if you do not smoke.

Moderate Alcohol Intake
Moderate alcohol intake of about one to two drinks per day for men, and one drink per day for women is linked to an increase in HDL cholesterol.  This benefit must be weighed against the dangers of excessive alcohol consumption including alcoholism, stroke, high blood pressure, and dangers to the public.

Limit Dietary Intake of Cholesterol
Finally, limiting your dietary intake of cholesterol is another healthy habit you can adopt to improve your health and regulate cholesterol levels.  Current guidelines are for an average intake of less than 300 milligrams if you are healthy, and less than 200 milligrams if you have heart disease.  Many states are pushing to have nutritional information from restaurants, including milligrams of cholesterol, made available to help you make healthy choices. 

Smart Decisions
A healthy lifestyle requires us to make smart decisions.  Good habits make it easier for us to make healthy choices.  Daily exercise, smoking cessation, moderate to no drinking, and limiting your intake of cholesterol may help to regulate cholesterol levels and your chance of developing coronary heart disease.  Talk to your doctor and Rite Aid pharmacist to help you identify the lifestyle changes you can make to develop the good habits needed for your good health.

References

1. American Heart Association. Accessed 4/2008 at http://www.heart.org
2. Vella, C.A., Kravitz, L., & Janot, J.M. (2001). A review of the impact of exercise on cholesterol levels. IDEA Health & Fitness Source, 19(10), 48-54. Accessed 4/2008 at http://www.unm.edu.

About the Author: Debbie Marovich, is a Rite Aid pharmacist, Diabetes Care Specialist and CDE at store 5188 in Sammamish, WA. Debbie provides her diabetes expertise to her pharmacy customers, as well as throughout King County through community diabetes awareness programs. She provides diabetes counseling on general disease management, gestational diabetes, sick day management, and her favorite topic - exercise and nutrition. Debbie also offers immunizations.

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