How to Improve Effectiveness of Your Heart Medication

What Does Crestor Do?

If you are prescribed a cholesterol medication such as Crestor, you are likely managing the triglycerides and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) “bad” cholesterol in your blood and increasing your high-density lipoprotein (HDL) “good” cholesterol. This works to lower your risk of heart disease, or to help prevent further episodes, if you have already had health issues with your heart.

How to Use Crestor

Always follow your doctor’s specific instructions for your prescription medication usage. Ask your doctor or pharmacist before beginning treatment if you have any questions. Typically, Crestor is taken by mouth once a day, with or without food. The dosage will vary depending on your condition, age, race and other current medications. Be sure to let your doctor know if you are taking any antacid medications that contain magnesium or aluminum, as this can affect the effectiveness of Crestor. Keep in mind that it may take up to a month before you notice the benefits of the medication, but it is important to continue taking it regularly as directed. Aim to take Crestor at the same time each day. Do not pause or stop taking this medication without the recommendation of your doctor.

How to Maximize Benefits of Crestor

Of course, you want to get the most out of your prescription medication. High quality and effective medication is an important part of your treatment plan, but it is not the only component of your health. We encourage you to take authority over your health conditions by being proactive in the areas that you have power over:

1. Food. You determine what you eat every day, and you can make a dramatic difference in your heart health by limiting or avoiding saturated fats, which increase your LDL cholesterol. Choosing lean chicken, turkey, fish and pork over red meat, fast food, dairy products, and processed food. Learn to read ingredient lists and make sure that you don’t fall for claims of “low fat” items that often have a high sugar content. Start small and keep educating yourself and incorporating healthier meals as you go.
2. Move Every Day. An excellent way to see and feel an improvement is to develop a more active lifestyle. Instead of thinking of exercise as “going to the gym,” which is something you can skip or avoid, shift your mindset to thinking of aspiring to maximize your movement every day. Look for opportunities to skip elevators and short drives and walk instead. Ask the friend you were going to meet for a drink to go for a walk with a coffee instead. All of these choices will add up towards better health. Of course, as much as you want to increase your daily movement, it is still important to intentionally work towards 30 minutes of aerobic exercise every day.
3. Healthy Weight. This is a major motivator for eating clean and moving every day. Reaching and maintaining a healthy weight is key to maintaining a healthy heart. Losing extra weight helps to lower your bad cholesterol and get even better results on your heart health progress. Again, look for small ways to chip at this bigger goal. Switch wine and soda for water with lemon or green tea. Not drinking your calories, improving your portion sizes, limiting unnecessary snacks and increasing your fruits and vegetables intake will all contribute to turning your weight, cholesterol levels, and heart health around.

Tackling these areas while taking Crestor as directed will help you. With time and practice, the healthier habits that took so much effort to get used to will yield benefits. As always, partner with and stay in dialogue with your doctor. Let him or her know if there are no noticeable improvements after the first month or two. Also let your doctor know if you have made big strides in your lifestyle and wonder if the same dosage level still applies.