Here are some tips on how to manage your risk of high cholesterol.
Read food labels and choose foods with low cholesterol and saturated trans fat. For people who would benefit from lowering their cholesterol, the American Heart Association recommends aiming for a dietary pattern that limits saturated fat to 5 to 6 percent of daily calories and reduces the percent of calories from trans fat.
Limit your intake of red meat and dairy products made with whole milk to reduce your saturated and trans fat. Choose skim milk, lowfat or fat-free dairy products. Limit fried food, and use healthy oils in cooking, such as vegetable oil.
Increase the amount of fiber you eat. A diet high in fiber can help lower cholesterol levels by as much as 10 percent, Dr. Bufalino said.
Check your family history of high cholesterol. Are you more prone to high cholesterol based on genetics? If so, take steps to minimize your risk through diet and exercise.
Lose extra weight. A weight loss of 10 percent can go a long way to lowering your risk of or reversing hyperlipidemia.
Learn more about cholesterol: