If you are concerned about your heart health, particularly as you get older, it is a good idea to get a cholesterol test regularly. Based on the results of this test, you can then receive advice and information on how to reduce your cholesterol.

Ask your GP - they will help you organise the simple cholesterol test and check your results.

50% of Australians over the age of 25 needs to better manage their cholesterol¹. The good news is that making simple changes to diet and lifestyle can help lower your cholesterol. Including plant sterol enriched food like HeartActive^® can be beneficial to your overall cholesterol management and heart health.

Some simple tips are:

Eat a balanced diet

Enjoy a variety of food every day. Plan your meals around heart healthy choices including vegetables, fruit, whole grains, and meat and dairy products low in saturated fat.

Include plant sterols in your diet

Small amounts of plant sterols are naturally found in a wide variety of vegetable oils, fruits, and vegetables, and are an effective addition to a cholesterol-lowering diet and lifestyle.

The Australian Heart Foundation suggests that eating 2 grams of plant sterols a day to lower cholesterol. 

Being active

Aim for at least 30 minutes of activity most days of the week.

• At the beginning start gently and build up slowly.

• Increase your incidental activity. For example take the stairs instead of the elevator, park your car further away in a parking lot, get off the tram or bus a couple of stops early and walk the rest of the way. There are many opportunities during the day to increase your activity without having to change your lifestyle significantly

• Choose an exercise that suits you and that you enjoy and why don't you ask a friend to join you? For example walking the dog, cycling, gardening, dancing, golf, tennis etc.

Maintaining a healthy diet and lifestyle is still important, whether you need to use cholesterol lowering medication or not. Plant sterols work in addition to most cholesterol-lowering medication^{2, 3} used to lower cholesterol.

You should always follow your GP's advice, particularly when looking after your heart health and cholesterol levels. You may also wish to seek the advice of an Accredited Practising Dietitian to help you maintain a heart healthy diet. The Dietitian's Association website may help: www.daa.asn.au