High cholesterol is a serious condition that can affect anyone. It is one of the leading causes of death for many Americans. If you're coping with high cholesterol levels, then you already know that you're at a high risk for heart disease and other dangerous illnesses that put your life in jeopardy. The good news is that there are LDL cholesterol guidelines that can help you to change all of that. If you take the steps to lower it you can protect your health and start living a normal life.
Therapeutic Lifestyle Changes Program:
The Therapeutic Lifestyle Changes (TLC) program is one guideline for reducing your high cholesterol levels. The three-part program uses diet, exercise, and weight management to control your cholesterol levels. By following the LDL cholesterol treatment guidelines laid out in the program you'll make the necessary lifestyle changes that can get your cholesterol to a manageable level and be able to live a healthy life.
Drug Treatment:
It is strongly recommended that if you're already on the TLC program that you discuss in detail how the LDL cholesterol treatment guidelines are working to lower your levels. If after following everything outlined in the plan, you still do not see a significant decrease something else may be causing your high levels and you'll need to start a course of drug treatment in order to bring your cholesterol down to a point where it can be controlled.
This has been the case with many who may have a higher level of cholesterol in their blood and may need more than basic management to control it. Even with the medication to reduce your levels, it's important to follow the LDL cholesterol guidelines to manage your condition. This way, you're tackling the problem from two directions and your lifestyle habits are not counteracting the effects of the drugs you are taking.
When you discuss the problem with your doctor, make sure that you inform him of any other medications you may be taking both over the counter and prescription. You need to be sure that the side effects of the drugs or the possibility of interactions do not interfere with your overall health.
Partnership with Your Doctor:
It's true that some people have been very effective in managing their cholesterol levels on their own but to make sure that your treatments are working the way they should it is recommended that you create a partnership to tackle your problem. You and your doctor should be working on a plan together, which may also include a dietician/nutritionist or other health care professionals to help you with your treatment.
Always be honest and open to new ideas from different health professionals when discussing your treatment. By following the LDL cholesterol treatment guidelines they provide, you will have a much better success at lowering your risk of developing heart disease and claiming your normal life back.
High cholesterol is a common problem that many Americans have to face but it is not without hope. By following the TLC program and the LDL cholesterol guidelines provided by your doctor, it is possible to bring it back down to management levels and live a perfectly normal life without fear.