A healthy diet and exercise are key to any treatment plan. Even if your doctor has prescribed LOFIBRA® or other treatment agents, you should also try to eat a healthy diet and increase your physical activity.1

Diet

If you need to lower your triglycerides and LDL cholesterol, there are two important steps you should take right away:

  1. Follow a low-fat, low-carbohydrate diet
  2. Lose weight if you are overweight

Sure that sounds simple enough, but we all understand that it's not that easy, especially in a world where there's not enough time to prepare healthy meals, but plenty of junk food everywhere you turn. The key is to choose wisely when deciding what to eat. If you have high triglycerides, the first step should be to eat fewer carbohydrates, such as sugar, starches, and processed grains and drink less alcohol. It is always best to eat in moderation, and too much of anything is never a good thing.

Read food labels carefully and follow these simple tips:

Basic Diet Tips3

  1. Select foods that are a good source of fiber or low in fat
    1. Whole-grain cereals, pastas, and rice
    2. Fruits—apples, pears, bananas, oranges, grapefruit, peaches, plums, and prunes
    3. Vegetables—green beans, cauliflower, potatoes, broccoli, brussel sprouts, and carrots
    4. Fish, chicken (skinless), and lean meats
    5. Fat-free or low-fat milk and low-fat yogurt
    6. Legumes—dried beans, lentils, chickpeas, and black-eyed peas

  2. Avoid high-fat foods
    1. Fatty red meats (such as hamburger)
    2. Butter and lard
    3. Tropical oils (coconut, palm, palm kernel)
    4. Bacon
    5. Whole milk and whole milk dairy products (cheese, sour cream, ice cream)

  3. When cooking, replace animal fats with vegetable oils
    1. Use vegetable oil or olive oil instead of butter or lard

  4. Drink less alcohol
    1. Too much alcohol can make health problems worse. You should drink in moderation.

  5. Cut calories if you're overweight
    1. As you change your diet, you should also eat less. Remember that the quantity of food you eat will be just as important as the quality.

Exercise2

Exercise can help you lower your risk of heart disease by:

  • Lowering blood pressure
  • Reducing the risk of developing diabetes
  • Improving overall fitness and reducing stress

How much you exercise will depend on your medical condition and your current fitness level. Most people should try to exercise at least 30 minutes a day.3 Ask your doctor about the exercise plan that's best for you, and then try to stick with it every day.

Tips for Starting an Exercise Program1

  • Before starting any exercise plan, discuss it with your doctor.
  • Remember to have fun! Choose exercises that you enjoy.
  • Make exercise part of your daily routine. Take the stairs. Park farther away.
  • Mix it up. Try different exercises so that you don't get bored.
  • Find a convenient time and place to exercise so that it becomes part of your daily routine.
  • Wear comfortable clothes.
  • Start out slowly. Your body needs time to adjust, so don't push yourself too hard at first.
  • Listen to music or watch a video while exercising.
  • Drink lots of water (check with your doctor first if you have fluid restrictions).
  • Remember that it's okay to take a break when you need one.
  • Bring a friend. An exercise buddy can help you stick with it.

References

1. American Heart Association. About cholesterol. Available at: http://www.americanheart.org. Accessed November 7, 2005.

2. Executive Summary of the Third Report of the National Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP) Expert Panel on Detection, Evaluation, and Treatment of High Blood Cholesterol in Adults (Adult Treatment Panel III). JAMA. 2001;285(19):2486-2497.

3. US Department of Health and Human Services. Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2005. Available at: http://www.health.gov/dietaryguidelines/dga2006/document/. Accessed November 28, 2005.