Eat more soluble fiber (oats, barley, beans, lentils, apples, citrus)
Choose whole grains instead of refined grains
Replace saturated fats with unsaturated fats (olive oil, nuts, seeds, avocado)
Limit saturated fat (fatty cuts of meat, butter, cheese, coconut oil, palm oil)
Avoid trans fats (partially hydrogenated oils in some packaged foods)
Eat fatty fish 2 times per week (salmon, sardines, trout) or use omega-3 sources
Reduce dietary cholesterol (organ meats, some shellfish) if high intake
Increase plant sterols/stanols (fortified foods, if available)
Limit added sugars and refined carbohydrates
Maintain a calorie balance to support weight loss if overweight
Exercise regularly (at least 150 minutes/week of moderate activity)
Avoid smoking
Limit alcohol (if you drink, keep it moderate)
Manage blood pressure, blood sugar, and triglycerides
Consider medication if lifestyle changes aren’t enough (statins, ezetimibe, PCSK9 inhibitors, bile acid sequestrants, as appropriate)
Ask a clinician about secondary causes (thyroid disease, diabetes, kidney disease, certain medications)
Follow up with repeat lipid testing as recommended by a clinician