How to Lower Cholesterol: Diet, Activity and Everyday Habits

If a blood test shows high cholesterol, or you want to protect your heart, everyday choices can help. This article explains what the CDC, NHS and WHO say about diet, activity and other habits. Your doctor decides if you also need medicine, and you should not stop or change any prescribed treatment without talking to them.

Start with food

The CDC says your body makes all the cholesterol it needs, so you do not need to get it from food. Eating a lot of saturated and trans fats may contribute to high cholesterol and heart disease. The CDC suggests:

• Limiting foods high in saturated fat, such as cheese, fatty meats, dairy desserts and tropical oils like palm oil
• Choosing lean meats, seafood, low-fat dairy, whole grains, fruit and vegetables
• Eating fibre-rich foods such as oats and beans, and unsaturated fats such as avocado, vegetable oils and nuts, which may help manage LDL and triglycerides

The WHO healthy diet guidance gives matching advice. It says saturated fat should be no more than 10% of daily energy, trans fat no more than 1%, and industrially produced trans fat should be avoided. It prefers unsaturated fats from fish, avocado, nuts and plant oils, and suggests steaming or boiling rather than frying and trimming visible fat from meat. The WHO also recommends at least 400 grams of fruit and vegetables a day for people over 10.

Be physically active

The CDC says activity helps maintain a healthy weight and can lower cholesterol and blood pressure. It cites 2 hours and 30 minutes of moderate exercise a week for adults, and 1 hour a day for children and teenagers. The WHO recommends at least 150 minutes of moderate activity a week for adults. If you have a heart condition or have not been active for a while, check with your doctor first.

Aim for a healthy weight

The CDC explains that overweight and obesity can raise LDL cholesterol and slow the body's removal of LDL from the blood. It suggests working with a doctor on a food and fitness plan.

Do not smoke and watch alcohol

The CDC says smoking damages blood vessels, speeds up hardening of the arteries and greatly increases the risk of heart disease. It also says quitting lowers that risk, and that your doctor can suggest ways to quit. It adds that too much alcohol can raise cholesterol and triglycerides, and gives limits of no more than 2 drinks a day for men and 1 for women.

What about medicines?

The NHS says some people with high cholesterol also need medicine. The CDC does not recommend specific medicines for prevention and advises telling your health team about your other conditions and current medicines. You can read about one common group, statins, in our separate article. Medicines are a decision for you and your doctor.

Getting tested

The CDC advises getting cholesterol tested at least every 4 to 6 years, and more often if you have high cholesterol or a family history of it. It also advises taking medicines for cholesterol, blood pressure and diabetes exactly as directed.

When to see a doctor

See a doctor if you have not had your cholesterol checked, if you have a family history of high cholesterol or heart disease, or before making big changes to your diet or exercise if you have a health condition. Do not stop any prescribed medicine without talking to your doctor, nurse or pharmacist.

Call emergency services at once for chest pain that does not stop, pain spreading to the arms, neck or jaw, or chest pain with sweating, sickness or breathlessness. The NHS says not to drive yourself to hospital.

In an emergency, call your local emergency number (112 in India, 911 in the United States).