Ariel Mejia, medical director at UCF Health Faculty Physician Practice and assistant professor of medicine at the UCF College of Medicine, is sharing advice during Cholesterol Awareness Month on how to lower cholesterol and improve heart health.
Mejia notes that while diet is a key factor in high cholesterol, foods that are highly processed and sugary—such as breakfast cereals, snack cakes, and cookies—are also significant contributors. He cautions against relying on prepackaged “low-fat” snacks, explaining that these items may be low in fat but often contain high levels of simple sugars and little fiber.
“These foods are designed to keep you snacking,” Mejia says. “Excess sugar in the body is turned into triglycerides, and these in turn stimulate the creation of new LDL particles.”
National Cholesterol Education Month aims to increase awareness about high cholesterol as a risk factor for heart disease, encourage screening, and provide information on management strategies. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that about 120 million American adults have cholesterol higher than 200.
Mejia recommends focusing on unprocessed foods: “Eat foods that are as close as you can get to how they appear in nature. Foods you can pick off a tree or pull from the ground,” he says. “Choose fibrous greens. Spinach is a superfood, kale [is great] and I am always a big fan of broccoli.” He adds that unprocessed fresh or frozen fruits and vegetables without sauces are available at most grocery stores.
For those who eat meat, Mejia advises selecting leaner cuts of beef and pork, eating more chicken without skin, and including fish in meals.
He also highlights recent research showing that inflammation—not just high-fat food consumption—is important in cardiac disease development. Highly processed foods containing added sugars like high-fructose corn syrup can cause insulin spikes leading to insulin resistance. This process contributes to inflammation along with elevated LDL cholesterol levels and plaque formation in arteries.
Exercise is another important step for lowering cholesterol. Mejia suggests working up to 150 minutes per week of moderate-intensity exercise. He recommends starting small: “Start with 30 minutes a week — for example, a brisk, 10-minute walk three days a week — then gradually work up to 60 and 90 minutes, and increase from there.”
“Lowering cholesterol boils down to two recommendations,” Mejia says. “Fix the diet and exercise. They’re milquetoast, but they hold true.”
Some individuals may have genetic factors influencing their cholesterol levels; if lifestyle changes are insufficient, medication such as statins may be considered by physicians.
“For the vast majority of people, changing how you eat and exercise can make a huge difference,” Mejia says.
UCF Health Faculty Physician Practice operates locations in East Orlando near UCF’s main campus as well as Lake Nona. More information or appointment scheduling is available through the UCF Health website.
