High cholesterol levels can block arteries and lead to heart disease. Most of your cholesterol is made by your liver; the rest comes from your diet, primarily from saturated fats. Maybe you have high cholesterol levels from your diet and/or you have inherited a tendency for elevated cholesterol. You can’t change your genes, but you can eat less cholesterol (no more than 300 mg a day), exercise, and if necessary, take certain medications.
Step One
Control Cholesterol in Your Diet - Choose foods that are lower in saturated fat and cholesterol. Choose products without trans fats, which raise cholesterol levels.Limit consumption of meat, poultry or fish to 5 ounces a day. Cook by grilling, broiling or steaming rather than breading and frying. Choose "good" or "choice" cuts of meat instead of "prime," which is the fattiest. Eat chicken and turkey with no skin, or remove the skin before eating. Choose the white meat, which is lower in saturated fat. Eat more fish, which usually has even less saturated fat. Eat fish like salmon, trout or tuna at least twice a week.Eat two to three servings of low-fat or nonfat milk products each day. Limit consumption of egg yolks to two per week. Substitute whites for whole eggs.Use liquid oils and spreads like olive, sunflower, canola, soybean; limit solid fats like butter.Try dry beans and tofu as substitutes. Remember, vegetables, grains and fruits have no cholesterol and low amounts of fat. Choose foods like oats, brown rice, carrots, and apples--you need 20 to 30 grams of fiber in your daily diet to help lower cholesterol.
Step Two
Exercise Regularly - Keep your weight and fat levels down by getting at least 30 minutes of physical activity every day. Do it either in one stretch or in multiple sessions of ten to 15 minutes. Find something you enjoy and do it regularly. It can be walking, jogging, swimming, dancing, bicycling, even housework and gardening. If you've been inactive for a long time, check with your doctor first.
Step Three
Stop Smoking - Don't smoke and avoid secondhand smoke to lower your risk of heart disease, especially if you have high cholesterol.