Total cholesterol levels are based on low density lipoprotein, or LDL, and high density lipoprotein or HDL. When you have high cholesterol, your main objective is to lower your LDL levels and increase your HDL levels. Drugs such as statins and vitamins such as niacin are often prescribed by doctors to lower cholesterol levels. By making the right changes to your diet, you can impact your levels even more.
Step 1
Reduce your intake of calories to promote weight loss. Monitor your intake for a day by using an online resource such as the Daily plate. Include both food and liquid calories. Reduce this amount by 500 calories and make this your new intake. If you lost a mere 5 to 10 lbs., you can lower your total cholesterol levels, according to the Mayo Clinic website.
Step 2
Skip the eggs, sausages, bacon, ham and any other food that is high in saturated fat, trans fat or cholesterol. Make sure to look closely at ingredient labels on pre-packaged foods as well. Steer clear of anything that has partially or fully hydrogenated oils in them.
Step 3
Visit the grocery store and pick up foods that are enriched with phytosterols. Go to the refrigerated section and look for yogurt, margarine, milk, cheese and orange juice, which should indicate this on the label. Consuming phytosterols has been shown to lower total cholesterol by up to 10 percent and LDL cholesterol by up to 14 percent, according to the Cleveland Clinic.
Step 4
Include more foods in your diet that are high in soluble fiber. When regularly eaten as part of a diet low in saturated fat, trans fat and cholesterol, soluble fiber has been shown to help lower blood cholesterol, according to the American Heart Association. Add foods to your diet such as oat bran, citrus fruits, rice bran, strawberries and peas.
Step 5
Drink cranberry juice and have fresh cranberries for a snack. Cranberries are rich sources of anthocyanins and proanthocyanidins, which are plant chemicals that prevent LDL cholesterol from sticking to your arterial walls, according to Reader's Digest. Throw cranberries into your morning breakfast cereal and mix them into your salads as well.
