Eat a heart-healthy diet emphasizing vegetables, fruits, whole grains, legumes, nuts, and seeds
Replace saturated fats with unsaturated fats (use olive oil, canola oil, nuts, seeds, avocado; choose fish more often)
Limit saturated fats (fatty cuts of meat, butter, cheese, cream, coconut oil, palm oil)
Avoid trans fats (partially hydrogenated oils in some packaged/fast foods)
Choose lean protein sources (fish, skinless poultry, beans, tofu, low-fat dairy)
Increase soluble fiber intake (oats, barley, beans, lentils, chia/flax, psyllium)
Include plant sterols/stanols (fortified foods or supplements, if appropriate)
Reduce dietary cholesterol intake (especially from high-cholesterol animal foods)
Limit refined carbohydrates and added sugars, especially sugary drinks and sweets
Maintain a healthy weight
Exercise regularly (at least 150 minutes/week of moderate activity, plus resistance training)
Avoid smoking
Limit alcohol (if you drink, do so moderately)
Manage conditions that raise LDL (diabetes, hypothyroidism, kidney disease) with clinician guidance
Review medications with a clinician if LDL remains high (may include statins, ezetimibe, PCSK9 inhibitors, bile acid sequestrants)
Get regular lipid testing and follow a personalized plan with a healthcare professional