The NHS has outlined several crucial lifestyle modifications that your doctor may propose prior to prescribing medication. These suggestions might be made before considering statins, among the most frequently dispensed medicines across the UK.

The NHS has highlighted several key lifestyle changes that doctors might recommend before resorting to medication. These recommendations are often considered before prescribing statins, one of the most commonly used drugs in the UK.

Statins belong to a class of drugs that help lower levels of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol in the blood. LDL cholesterol is often referred to as “bad” cholesterol because high levels can lead to the narrowing and hardening of the arteries.

High LDL cholesterol is a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease, which includes a range of heart and circulatory conditions such as heart attacks, strokes, angina, and coronary heart disease. Cardiovascular disease remains one of the leading causes of death in the UK.

However, before prescribing statins, your GP will “usually” advise certain modifications. The NHS stated: “If you’re at risk of developing cardiovascular disease in the near future, your doctor will usually recommend lifestyle changes to reduce this risk before they suggest that you take statins.”

The NHS notes these adjustments “reduce your cholesterol level and cardiovascular disease risk”. The recommended changes include:

• Eating a healthy, balanced diet
• Exercising regularly
• Maintaining a healthy weight
• Limiting the amount of alcohol you drink
• Stopping smoking

Before prescribing statins, however, doctors will “usually” suggest certain lifestyle adjustments. According to the NHS, “If you’re at risk of developing cardiovascular disease in the near future, your doctor will usually recommend lifestyle changes to reduce this risk before they suggest that you take statins.”

Diet

The NHS emphasizes that these changes can “reduce your cholesterol level and cardiovascular disease risk.” The recommended lifestyle modifications include:

Therefore, you should try to eat more:

• Oily fish, like mackerel and salmon
• Olive oil, rapeseed oil and spreads made from these oils
• Brown rice, wholegrain bread and wholewheat pasta
• Nuts and seeds
• Fruits and vegetables

And you should try to eat less:

• Meat pies, sausages and fatty meat
• Butter, lard and ghee
• Cream and hard cheese, like cheddar
• Cakes and biscuits
• Food that contains coconut oil or palm oil

Exercise

The NHS said you should aim to do at least 150 minutes (2.5 hours) of exercise a week.

Stop smoking

The NHS said: “Smoking can raise your cholesterol and make you more likely to have serious problems like heart attacks, strokes and cancer.” If you want to stop smoking, you can get help and support from your GP or the NHS Stop Smoking Service – your GP can refer you or you can ring the helpline on 0300 123 1044 (England only).

Alcohol

The NHS said you should:

• Avoid drinking more than 14 units of alcohol a week
• Have several drink-free days each week
• Avoid drinking lots of alcohol in a short time (binge drinking)

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What is considered high cholesterol?

The only way to be sure if your cholesterol levels are too high is to take a cholesterol test. These will confirm your:

• Total cholesterol – the overall amount of cholesterol in your blood
• Good cholesterol (called HDL) – this may make you less likely to have heart problems or a stroke
• Non-HDL cholesterol – the difference between total cholesterol and HDL

The NHS explained: “What is a good target level for you depends on things like your age, whether you have any health conditions and your risk of cardiovascular disease.” But generally, the following levels are considered “healthy”:

• Total cholesterol – below 5mmol/L
• HDL (good cholesterol) – above 1.0mmol/L for men or above 1.2mmol/L for women
• Non-HDL (bad cholesterol) – below 4mmol/L