my bad cohlesterol is 130 what do to lower that number and should i lose weight?

Hi Andrea,

By "bad cholesterol", I am going to assume you mean your LDL cholesterol is 130.  You do want to keep LDL below 130, so it's great that you are ready to take action before it moves up anymore.

If you're overweight, weight loss of as little as 5-10 pounds will help improve your cholesterol.  If your weight is within a healthy range, then simply maintain where you are. 

If you're sedentary, increasing your activity will also have a positive impact (raise your HDL and lower LDL).  If already active, keep it up!  Here is an article on raising HDL - Long workouts best for raising good cholesterol.

You can learn about a diet to lower cholesterol here.  If appropriate, make adjustments to all three areas - increased activity, weight loss, and improved heart healthy eating - and you will see your LDL (bad) cholesterol improve in response to the changes you make.

All the best,

Lisa Nelson, RD, LN

Lower Cholesterol