Try TLC Now to Avoid Medication Later

There's more to heart trouble than cholesterol. And there's more to treating heart disease than medication.

While blood cholesterol is a critical factor in heart disease, don't forget the other major risks — age, gender, family history, diabetes and high blood pressure — as well as lifestyle effects. Smoking, alcohol abuse, obesity, stress, lack of exercise, and a fat-rich diet are controllable influences that add significantly to your heart attack risk.

The National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI) advocates modifying your lifestyle first to control cholesterol. (NHLBI Cholesterol Levels Chart).  It's a comprehensive plan known as therapeutic lifestyle change (TLC).

It starts with diet: more soluble fiber in the form of cereal grains, beans, fruits and vegetables, and less saturated fat. And there's greater emphasis on weight control and exercise.

These changes won't improve your cholesterol profile overnight.  Depending on your heart attack risk, work with your provider to monitor your progress and evaluate any need for medication.

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