{"id":36591,"date":"2025-03-04T07:00:28","date_gmt":"2025-03-04T07:00:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/updates-www.mccdn.io\/vitals\/?p=36591"},"modified":"2026-01-28T21:01:45","modified_gmt":"2026-01-28T21:01:45","slug":"how-to-lower-your-cholesterol-without-medication","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/updates-www.mccdn.io\/vitals\/how-to-lower-your-cholesterol-without-medication\/","title":{"rendered":"How to lower your cholesterol without medication","gt_translate_keys":[{"key":"rendered","format":"text"}]},"content":{"rendered":"<p>High cholesterol is often associated with older adults, but it can happen to anyone. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.jacc.org\/doi\/10.1016\/j.jacc.2021.08.065\">A study in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology<\/a>\u00a0found that approximately 27 percent of U.S. adults ages 18 to 39 had high or borderline high cholesterol.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cHigh cholesterol is often referred to as a \u2018silent condition\u2019 because it doesn\u2019t typically cause any noticeable symptoms,\u201d says Jessica Lancaster, DO, a former family medicine physician at <a href=\"https:\/\/updates-www.mccdn.io\/location\/multicare-maple-valley-clinic\/\">MultiCare Maple Valley Clinic<\/a>. \u201cBut over time it leads to plaque buildup in the arteries, increasing a person\u2019s risk for heart attacks and strokes.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Find out what you can do, aside from taking medication, to maintain healthy cholesterol levels and support your long-term health.<\/p>\n<h2><strong>What is cholesterol?<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>Cholesterol is a fat that our bodies produce naturally. We also get cholesterol from some foods, like meat, eggs and dairy products. While it may get a bad rap, cholesterol is critical to our cell health. It also supports many bodily functions, from digestion to hormone production to the functioning of our immune system.<\/p>\n<p>Although cholesterol itself is not inherently good or bad, it\u2019s sometimes referred to that way.<\/p>\n<p>Particles called lipoproteins carry cholesterol through our bloodstream, Dr. Lancaster shares. The type of lipoprotein transporting the cholesterol helps determine whether we think of it as helpful or harmful.<\/p>\n<p><strong>High-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol<\/strong>. This is often referred to as the \u201cgood\u201d type of cholesterol. These lipoproteins transport excess cholesterol away from the arteries to the liver, where it can be eliminated, reducing the risk of heart disease. An HDL level of 60 or higher can help protect the heart.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol<\/strong>. LDL cholesterol is considered the \u201cbad\u201d type of cholesterol. These lipoproteins carry cholesterol from the liver to the cells in our body. When LDL cholesterol levels are elevated, it causes plaque to form in the arteries. In general, LDL cholesterol should be less than 100.<\/p>\n<p>Your doctor or other health care provider can check your cholesterol levels through a simple blood test. The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.heart.org\/en\/health-topics\/cholesterol\/how-to-get-your-cholesterol-tested\">American Heart Association<\/a> recommends most healthy adults over 20 should have their cholesterol checked every four to six years. If you are over 40 or have risk factors for high cholesterol, you may need to have it checked more frequently.<\/p>\n<h2><strong>How to lower your cholesterol<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>If your cholesterol level is borderline high or mildly high, you may be able to lower it without medication. Even if you have high cholesterol and are on medication, making and sustaining the following lifestyle changes can support your mental and physical well-being.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s important to remember that maintaining healthy cholesterol levels isn\u2019t just a numbers game,\u201d Dr. Lancaster says. \u201cIt\u2019s about making healthy choices. When you do that, you\u2019re going to feel good and you\u2019re going to thrive, and the numbers will follow.\u201d<\/p>\n<h3><strong>Eat more fiber<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>Soluble fiber (dissolves in water) helps lower the amount of LDL or \u201cbad\u201d cholesterol in your body by absorbing it.<\/p>\n<p>Fiber also benefits your health in other ways \u2014 reducing inflammation, regulating blood sugar and supporting regular bowel movements. Yet only about <a href=\"https:\/\/nutrition.org\/most-americans-are-not-getting-enough-fiber-in-our-diets\/\">7 percent of American adults get enough fiber in their diet<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Foods high in soluble fiber include <strong>oats and oatmeal, barley, nuts, beans, lentils, apples, citrus fruits, berries, peas, carrots, sweet potatoes, broccoli and cauliflower<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>Fiber intake recommendations vary by age and sex. On average, adults should consume between 25-35 grams of fiber daily, according to the Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIf you\u2019re having difficulty eating enough fiber, consider fiber supplements,\u201d Dr. Lancaster shares. \u201cSome studies have shown that taking these supplements can help lower LDL cholesterol.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false,"gt_translate_keys":[{"key":"rendered","format":"html"}]},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>High cholesterol is often associated with older adults, but it can happen to anyone. A study in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology\u00a0found that approximately 27 percent of U.S. adults ages 18 to 39 had high or borderline high cholesterol. \u201cHigh cholesterol is often referred to as a \u2018silent condition\u2019 because it doesn\u2019t [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false,"gt_translate_keys":[{"key":"rendered","format":"html"}]},"author":367,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[127,63,99],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-36591","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-healthy-living","category-heart-health","category-primary-care"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v27.6 (Yoast SEO v27.6) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>How to lower your cholesterol without medication - MultiCare Vitals<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Over time, high cholesterol can increase your risk for heart attacks and strokes. 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