Should you keep a cholesterol diary to control your cholesterol?

Did your doctor look at your blood test results and say, "Your cholesterol is a little high, we need to get this under control?" When he says that, it's normal to feel a little scared and anxious. You might be wondering, "What do I do now?" But don't worry, this is something that can be managed. Today we're going to talk about a very simple, yet very useful method that will help you and encourage you on this journey. That is keeping a cholesterol diary .

What is a cholesterol diary?

When you hear this, you might think that this is like the diary we used to keep. Actually, it is, but we are writing this for the health of our hearts. Simply put, a cholesterol diary is a book where you write down your cholesterol levels, the medications you take for it, and your lifestyle changes in one place.

Imagine, you get your blood tested every three months. You take the report with you to the doctor every time. But you probably leave the old report somewhere at home. Then it's hard to see exactly whether your cholesterol level has decreased, increased, or is under control, isn't it? This diary is the best solution to that problem. It's like a best friend that makes your and your doctor's work a lot easier, and helps you understand yourself.

Why is it so important to keep a diary?

This is much more than just writing down some numbers in a book. Look at the benefits of this.

• You will get a great motivation: How happy you will feel if you check your blood after three months of controlling your diet and exercising and see that your bad cholesterol (LDL) level has decreased? That happiness will give you great strength to continue doing this well.
• It's clear what's working: When you record in your diary that you cut down on oily food this month and walked 30 minutes a day, you can compare the results with the next report to see if your efforts were successful.
• It's easier for the doctor to make decisions: How much did your cholesterol drop after taking the medication? How much was it possible to lower it without medication just by controlling your diet? When you have all this in your diary, it's a great help for the doctor to decide exactly what dosage of medication to give you and what advice to give.
• You take control of your health: Instead of feeling sad, "Oh, my cholesterol is high," you feel like you're in control. This is also great for your mental health.

How exactly do you create and use this diary?

You don't have to spend a lot of money on this. A regular CR book or an old diary will do the trick. The most important thing is to keep it organized. Your doctor may have given you a goal to control your cholesterol. For example, 'Keep your total cholesterol below 200' or 'Keep your LDL below 100'. Write those goals in large letters on the first page of the book.

Next, divide the pages of the book into sections like the table below. Each time you have a blood test (Lipid Profile), write the values ​​from that report in the appropriate places in this table.

The "Special Notes" column is the most valuable place.

You can write the other columns in the report. But this "Special Notes" column is the most valuable part of your diary. There you can write things like:

• "I've eaten oats every morning this month."
• "I stopped drinking sugary tea."
• "I feel a little stiff after taking the medicine." (If this happens, you should tell your doctor immediately .)
• "I haven't been able to exercise because I've been so busy these days."

When you compare these notes with your cholesterol levels, you'll realize how much of an impact even small changes in your lifestyle can have.

Don't stop keeping this diary even after you reach your goal level. It will help you to keep track of your progress towards a healthy lifestyle. Always remember, this is not something you do alone. It is a journey you take with your doctor. So don't forget to take this diary with you to every clinic visit.