Lifestyle adjustments

For people without a high risk of heart disease, or high cholesterol that is not caused by lifestyle, adjusting what you eat may be the place to start. It’s important to know you don’t have to give up the foods you love, you just may need to tweak how much of it you consume. And there are other lifestyle changes you can make to bring your numbers into a healthy range, like exercising, quitting smoking, limiting alcohol, and losing weight, if your doctor recommends it.

Your doctor can personalize recommendations based on your risks. Keep in mind that it takes some trial and error to figure out what will lower your cholesterol levels. It’s not the same for everyone, so it’s important to not be discouraged.