High cholesterol

You usually don’t notice anything when you have high cholesterol. That makes it tricky, because you can’t tell straight away whether things are getting better or worse.

You may well notice that your lifestyle requires some attention. For example, if:

• you don’t get much exercise;
• you sit a lot;
• you smoke;
• you have unhealthy eating habits;
• you are overweight;
• you have little energy;
• you find it difficult to stick to healthy choices;
• you are experiencing a lot of stress.

These signs do not automatically mean that your cholesterol is too high. This can only be determined by a blood test carried out by a doctor.

Cholesterol is influenced by genetic predisposition, age, diet, weight, exercise, smoking and other health factors. Sometimes heredity plays a major role. In such cases, a person may have high cholesterol even if they lead a healthy lifestyle.

A diet high in saturated fat, a diet low in fibre, a lack of exercise and being overweight can all contribute to high cholesterol. Smoking also increases the risk of cardiovascular disease.

As your overall risk is important, your GP does not look at cholesterol alone. Blood pressure, smoking, age, diabetes and family history are also taken into account.

You can work on developing habits that help keep your heart and blood vessels healthy.

For example, you could:

• choose vegetables, fruit and wholemeal products more often;
• eat more pulses, nuts and fish if that suits you;
• eat fewer products high in saturated fat;
• get more exercise and sit for shorter periods;
• to stop smoking;
• working towards a healthy weight;
• drink no alcohol or drink less alcohol;
• stick to fixed mealtimes.

Don’t overcomplicate things. Start with one change to your diet or exercise routine that you can stick to.

Always discuss high cholesterol with your GP. Your GP can assess your risk and explain whether lifestyle advice is sufficient or whether medication is required.

You should also contact your GP if there is a strong family history of cardiovascular disease or if you have diabetes, high blood pressure or other risk factors.

We help you develop healthy habits that fit into your daily life. In doing so, we focus on diet, exercise, weight, stress, sleep and staying on track.

A lifestyle coach can help you adjust your diet and exercise habits step by step. A physiotherapist can provide support when moving is difficult. A occupational therapist can help when planning, energy levels or your work routine make it difficult to make healthy choices. Emotional eating or stress-eating can psychological support should be appropriate.

We provide you with practical support, alongside the medical care provided by your GP.