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Request Appointment. Top 5 lifestyle changes to improve your cholesterol. Products and services. Top 5 lifestyle changes to improve your cholesterol Lifestyle changes can help improve your cholesterol — and boost the cholesterol-lowering power of medications.

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Show references Your guide to lowering your cholesterol with TLC. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. pdf Accessed May 22, Kumar P, et al. Lipid and metabolic disorders. In: Kumar and Clark's Clinical Medicine.

Philadelphia, Pa. Accessed May 22, Tangney CC, et al. Lipid lowering with diet or dietary supplements. Catapano AL, et al. Department of Health and Human Services and U. Department of Agriculture. Final determination regarding partially hydrogenated oils removing trans fat. Food and Drug Administration.

Accessed June 28, Cooking to lower cholesterol. American Heart Association. Fekete AA, et al. Whey protein lowers blood pressure and improves endothelial function and lipid biomarkers in adults with prehypertension and mild hypertensions: Results from the chronic Whey2Go randomized controlled trial.

American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. Douglas PS. Exercise and fitness in the prevention of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. Accessed May 30, Hyperlipidemia adult. Rochester, Minn.

Braun LT, et al. Effects of exercise on lipoproteins and hemostatic factors. Smoke-free living: Benefits and milestones. Accessed May , Cardiovascular benefits and risks of moderate alcohol consumption. Accessed May 31, Bonow RO, et al. Risk markers and the primary prevention of cardiovascular disease.

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ART Home Top 5 lifestyle changes to reduce cholesterol. Show the heart some love! Talk with your doctor about your cholesterol levels, your risk of developing heart disease, other medical conditions you have, and your lifestyle.

You can learn about the benefits and side effects of medicines for lowering your blood cholesterol. Together, you can set up a treatment plan that will work for you.

We lead or sponsor many studies on high blood cholesterol. Find clinical trials and observational studies for you or your loved one. To help you lower your LDL cholesterol level, your doctor may talk to you about adopting a healthy lifestyle.

The TLC guide is a set of tools, including lifestyle changes and sample menus, you can use to help lower your cholesterol.

If your doctor prescribes medicines as part of your treatment plan, be sure to continue your healthy lifestyle changes. The combination of the medicines and heart-healthy lifestyle changes can help lower and control your blood cholesterol levels.

Some people with familial hypercholesterolemia may benefit from lipoprotein apheresis to lower their blood cholesterol levels. Lipoprotein apheresis uses a filtering machine to remove unwanted substances from the body.

Blood Cholesterol. What is Blood Cholesterol? Symptoms Diagnosis Causes and Risk Factors Treatment Living With. Fact sheets and handouts. Blood Cholesterol Treatment. Language switcher English Español. Healthy lifestyle changes To help you lower your LDL cholesterol level, your doctor may talk to you about adopting a healthy lifestyle.

Choose heart-healthy foods.

Some studies have found the plant to be an effective treatment for milder forms of heart failure. However, research results are conflicting , warns the NCCIH. Also, hawthorn can have negative interactions with many prescription medications and other herbs.

Flax seed comes from the flax plant. Both flax seed and flaxseed oil contain high levels of alpha-linolenic acid ALA. This is an omega-3 fatty acid that may help lower your risk of heart disease. Research on the benefits of flaxseed for heart health has produced mixed results , reports the NCCIH.

Some studies suggest that flaxseed preparations may help lower cholesterol , particularly among people with high cholesterol levels and postmenopausal women. Omega-3 fatty acids are also found in fish and fish oils. Salmon, tuna, lake trout, herring, sardines, and other fatty fish are especially rich sources.

Experts have long believed that omega-3 fatty acids in fish help reduce the risk of getting heart disease. Other nutrients in fish, or a combination of those nutrients and omega-3 fatty acids, may help protect your heart.

Eating one or two servings of fatty fish a week may lower your chances of having a heart attack. If you have heart disease, you may also benefit from taking omega-3 fatty acid supplements or eating other foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids.

For example, walnuts, canola oil, and soybeans are good sources. Evidence is stronger for the benefits of eating fish with omega-3 fatty acids than taking supplements or eating other foods. Red yeast rice is a traditional Chinese medicine and cooking ingredient. Some red yeast rice products contain substantial quantities of monacolin K.

This substance is chemically identical to the active ingredient in the cholesterol-lowering drug lovastatin. Red yeast rice products that contain this substance may help lower your blood cholesterol levels. Other red yeast rice products contain little to no monacolin K.

Some also contain a contaminant called citrinin. This contaminant can cause kidney failure. Plant sterols and stanols are substances found in many fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, grains, and other plants. Some processed foods are also fortified with plant sterols or stanols, such as fortified margarine, orange juice, or yogurt products.

Plant sterols and stanols may help lower your risk of heart disease. They help prevent your small intestine from absorbing cholesterol.

This can lower LDL bad cholesterol levels in your blood. It can be eaten raw or cooked. Some research suggests that garlic may help lower your blood pressure, reduce your blood cholesterol levels, and slow the progress of atherosclerosis, reports NCCIH.

However, as with many alternative therapies, studies have yielded mixed results. For example, some studies have found that taking garlic for 1 to 3 months helps lower blood cholesterol levels. However, an NCCIH-funded study on the safety and effectiveness of three garlic preparations found no long-term effect on blood cholesterol.

You can also adopt healthy lifestyle habits to help manage your blood cholesterol levels. For example:. A variety of medications are also available to lower high cholesterol. For example, your doctor may prescribe:. Read this article in Spanish. Our experts continually monitor the health and wellness space, and we update our articles when new information becomes available.

VIEW ALL HISTORY. This article is based on scientific evidence, written by experts and fact checked by experts. Our team of licensed nutritionists and dietitians strive to be objective, unbiased, honest and to present both sides of the argument.

This article contains scientific references. The numbers in the parentheses 1, 2, 3 are clickable links to peer-reviewed scientific papers.

Men and women may experience different symptoms of a heart attack. Coronary heart disease CHD is the leading cause of death among adults in the United States.

Learn about the causes and risks factors of CHD. Follow these tips to prevent heart disease. Discover 28 ways to power up, wind down, and have fun — all in the name of a healthy heart. Work these heart-healthy habits into your lifestyle. A Quiz for Teens Are You a Workaholic? How Well Do You Sleep?

Health Conditions Discover Plan Connect. Nutrition Evidence Based 10 Natural Ways to Lower Your Cholesterol Levels. Medically reviewed by Megan Soliman, MD — By Matthew Thorpe, MD, PhD and Karen Lamoreux — Updated on December 7, Eat monounsaturated fats Use polyunsaturated fats Limit trans fats Eat soluble fiber Exercise Keep a healthy weight Avoid smoking Drink in moderation Consider plant sterols Try supplements FAQ Takeaway Limiting saturated fats in your diet, along with getting regular exercise and engaging in other healthy practices, may help lower the amount of low-density lipoprotein LDL in your blood.

Focus on monounsaturated fats. Prioritize polyunsaturated fats, especially omega-3s. Limit trans fats. Eat soluble fiber. Maintain a healthy-for-you weight.

Avoid smoking. Consume alcohol in moderation. Consider plant sterols and stanols. Try supplements. Frequently asked questions. How we reviewed this article: Sources.

Colestipol Colestid and colesevelam Welcol are both resins. As with other cholesterol drugs that are not statins, it is not clear whether resins reduce the risk of death from heart disease. The most common side effects of resins are digestive problems, such as heartburn and diarrhea.

Fibrates can lower triglycerides and increase HDL cholesterol. However, they are not effective in lowering LDL cholesterol. Clofibrate Atromid and gemfibrozil Lopid are prescription fibrates. Niacin , or vitamin B-3, works in the liver, and it may reduce blood fats.

Although it is possible to take an over-the-counter OTC niacin supplement, the most effective option is a prescription form of the medicine. High doses of niacin may damage the liver. The nutrient can also cause itching, flushing, and stomach pain.

OTC niacin supplements are available for purchase here. Omega-3 fatty acids, such as those present in fish oil , may lower the risk of heart disease, stroke, and heart attack. They may do this by reducing the secretion of triglycerides or helping the body remove excess cholesterol. Eating cold-water fatty fish, such as albacore and tuna, a few times a week can help a person increase their omega-3 intake.

Omega-3 supplements may also help. However, omega-3 supplements can sometimes cause bleeding, most notably in people on blood thinners or with bleeding disorders.

In some cases, a doctor may recommend a type of prescription omega-3 called omegaacid ethyl esters. Omega-3 supplements are available for purchase here.

Plant chemicals called sterols and stanols may help fight cholesterol and lower the risk of cardiovascular disease. Soybeans, margarine, and orange juice products that include sterols and stanols on their ingredients label are good sources. Soluble fiber can also help lower cholesterol.

Many vegetables and fruits, including apples, bananas , plums, and prunes, are rich in soluble fiber. Soluble fiber supplements are available for purchase here.

Drugs and supplements are not the only options for lowering cholesterol. People may also benefit from making the following lifestyle changes :. While lifestyle can strongly affect cholesterol levels, it is not the only factor.

Even otherwise healthy people may have high cholesterol, particularly when it runs in the family. Cholesterol may also increase with age.

When lifestyle remedies do not work, a person may need to use prescription medications, especially if they have a high risk of heart disease. A person can talk to a cardiologist about the best options for lowering cholesterol. If one drug is ineffective or causes serious side effects, another medication may work better.

Open communication with a doctor can help a person lower their cholesterol and attain better overall health. In this article, we look at a variety of lifestyle changes and natural supplements that help lower cholesterol levels and reduce the risk of heart….

Statins are drugs that can reduce levels of cholesterol in the blood.

Healthy lifestyle changes To help you lower your LDL cholesterol level, your doctor may talk to you about adopting a healthy lifestyle. Choose heart-healthy foods. These plans also encourage limiting saturated fats found in fatty cuts of meats, dairy products, and desserts; and eating whole grains, fruits, and vegetables rather than refined carbohydrates such as sugar.

Get regular physical activity. Before starting any exercise program, ask your doctor what level of physical activity is right for you.

Aim for a healthy weight. Manage stress. Research has shown that chronic stress can sometimes increase LDL cholesterol levels and decrease HDL cholesterol levels.

Quit smoking. Although these resources focus on heart health, they include basic information about how to quit smoking. Get enough good quality sleep. Sleep helps heal and repair your heart and blood vessels.

The recommended amount for adults is 7 to 9 hours of sleep a day. Limit alcohol. Visit the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism for resources on support and treatment to stop drinking. Your Guide to Lowering Cholesterol With Therapeutic Lifestyle Changes TLC The TLC guide is a set of tools, including lifestyle changes and sample menus, you can use to help lower your cholesterol.

View the booklet. Book traversal links for Treatment Previous Causes and Risk Factors Next Living With. Last updated on March 24, Many diets fit this general description. For example, the DASH Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension eating plan promoted by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute as well as diets suggested by the U.

Department of Agriculture and the American Heart Association are heart-healthy approaches. Such diets can be adapted based on your cultural and food preferences. A sedentary lifestyle lowers HDL cholesterol.

Physical activity is important. At least minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise a week is enough to lower both cholesterol and high blood pressure.

And you have lots of options: brisk walking, swimming, bicycling or even yard work can fit the bill. Worse still, when a person with unhealthy cholesterol levels also smokes, risk of coronary heart disease increases more than it otherwise would.

Smoking also compounds the risk from other risk factors for heart disease, such as high blood pressure and diabetes. By quitting, smokers can lower their LDL cholesterol and increase their HDL cholesterol levels. It can also help protect their arteries.

Nonsmokers should avoid exposure to secondhand smoke. Learn more about quitting smoking. Being overweight or obese tends to raise bad cholesterol and lower good cholesterol. Your health care professional can help you reach your health goals, including keeping your cholesterol at healthy levels.

Written by American Heart Association editorial staff and reviewed by science and medicine advisors. See our editorial policies and staff.

About Cholesterol. HDL, LDL Cholesterol and Triglycerides. Genetic Conditions. Causes of High Cholesterol. How To Get Your Cholesterol Tested. Prevention and Treatment of High Cholesterol.

Cholesterol Tools and Resources. Do you have questions about cholesterol? We have answers. Our FREE cholesterol guide will help you understand and manage your cholesterol, so you can take action and live healthy!

Home Health Topics Cholesterol Prevention and Treatment of High Cholesterol. Play without Auto-Play Play Video Text. Know your numbers. And what to do about them.