Diet

• The American Heart Association recommends what is referred to as a heart-healthy diet. The primary component of this diet is consciously reducing the amount of fat you consume daily. This means consuming no more than 30 percent of your daily caloric intake from fat with less than 8 percent being from saturated fat. Cooking with olive oil instead of butter can lower your LDL without adversely affecting your HDL. Eat fish and foods high in omega-3 fatty acids such as mackerel, herring, salmon and tuna along with almonds, walnuts and flax seeds. Reduce your sodium intake as well as alcohol consumption.
  
  

Exercise

• If you need to lose weight, do so. You may see benefits in weight loss from dietary changes, but this may not be enough. You should also find ways to be more active doing daily activities such as using the stairs instead of the elevator or walking to lunch. Find an aerobic activity you enjoy and do it for at least 30 minutes five times a week or more. If you can do it every day, even better. If you are new to exercise, start small with feasible goals and build up to longer periods at a more vigorous pace. If 30-minute sessions are too much to do at once, do several 10-minute sessions. It all counts to a healthier heart and lower cholesterol.
  
  

Medications

• There are many different medications available to help reduce cholesterol. Your doctor can help you find the medication that is right for you. The most common class of drugs are called statins; some examples are Lipitor and Crestor. There are also bile acid-binding resins such as Questran to reduce LDL. Prescription dosage niacin can also help reduce cholesterol levels, as do fibrates such as TriCor or Lopid. Zetia is a cholesterol absorption inhibitor. All of these have various possible side effects that you should discuss with your doctor and pharmacist. Always let your doctor know all other medications and supplements you are taking to prevent dangerous drug interactions or reduce the effectiveness of your medication.