Cholesterol is a fat in your blood. Your body makes cholesterol, and it’s also found in some foods. Cholesterol helps digest food, make hormones, and make vitamin D. But high cholesterol can be dangerous to your health. It’s one of the biggest risk factors for heart attack and stroke, which are the leading causes of death in women.
There are two main types of cholesterol in the body: low-density lipoprotein (LDL) and high-density lipoprotein (HDL).
- LDL cholesterol is often called “bad cholesterol” because LDL particles carry cholesterol to your cells. High LDL levels cause fatty deposits (plaque) to build up in your blood vessels, which can lead to heart disease. You want your LDL to be Low.
- HDL, or “good cholesterol,” carries cholesterol from your cells back to your liver so it can be removed from your body. People with high HDL levels have a lower risk of heart disease.
How does menopause affect cholesterol?
At the time of menopause, the hormone estrogen decreases. This change can cause cholesterol levels, especially the ‘bad’ type of cholesterol, to increase. Therefore, women should have their cholesterol checked regularly at this time.
How can I improve your cholesterol?
Although changes in hormone levels can affect your HDL and LDL numbers, that doesn’t mean your heart health is out of control after menopause. There are many things you can do to control your levels; these steps can help you control your cholesterol and reduce your risk of heart disease, both with medication and with lifestyle changes, especially during and after menopause.
Here are five strategies to help improve cholesterol level:
1. Talk to your doctor
You need to have your cholesterol checked and talk to your doctor about your cholesterol levels and how they affect your overall cardiovascular risk. Along with knowing your cholesterol numbers, ask your doctor if you need to monitor other things, such as fasting blood sugar (ideally below 100 mg/dL) and blood pressure (aim for below 120/80 mmHg).
2. Consider medication
You will also need to talk to your doctor about whether you might benefit from cholesterol-lowering medication. The recommended medication is a statin, which works by blocking an enzyme in the liver that plays a role in cholesterol production. Determining whether a woman needs this type of medication is based on her cholesterol levels and other assessments of her cardiovascular risk factors.
3. Eat the Right Foods
Eat a healthy diet. Women should follow a diet similar to the DASH diet to promote heart health. Focus on potassium-rich foods like bananas and sweet potatoes, beans, low-fat dairy, fruits, vegetables, poultry, and fish.
As part of that healthy eating plan, add fiber (aim for 30 grams per day) and omega-3 fatty acids (at least 2 to 3 grams per day from fish or a docosahexaenoic acid supplement). Soluble fiber (found in oats, beans, and fruits like apples and pears) can lower bad cholesterol, and omega-3s can lower triglycerides and slightly raise good cholesterol.
4. Get More Active
Exercise is great for overall health and cholesterol in women. Women should get at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity (such as brisk walking) or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity activity each week.
5. Other healthy choices
Women should not smoke, vape, or use other tobacco products, and avoid secondhand smoke. In addition, getting enough sleep can reduce your risk of heart disease. You should get an average of seven to nine hours of sleep each night. All of this will help you achieve and maintain a healthy body weight, which is important because, like high cholesterol, being overweight or obese increases your risk of heart disease.
