Achieving normal cholesterol levels is an important part of healthy living. It reduces your risk of developing heart disease and experiencing a heart attack or stroke. A healthy range for your LDL, or bad cholesterol, is 129 mg/dL or less. Although a number of cholesterol-lowering medications are available, doctors usually suggest making dietary changes before prescribing drugs. These changes can be effective, but you must fully commit yourself to new eating habits to reap the benefits.
Step 1
Eat more soluble fiber. Soluble fiber binds with cholesterol in your intestines, flushing it from your body. MayoClinic.com says that eating 1-1/2 cups of oatmeal each day, along with a piece of fruit, gives you the 5 to 10g of fiber necessary to lower your LDL cholesterol.
Step 2
Look for products containing plant sterols and stanols. These natural plant substances absorb excess cholesterol in your body. Certain products, such as orange juice and yogurt, are now fortified with them. Drinking two 8-oz. glasses of fortified orange juice every day equals the 2g of sterols necessary to reduce your LDL by more than 10 percent.
Step 3
Reduce your intake of saturated fats. One of the main culprits of high cholesterol, saturated fats are in red meat, whole-fat dairy products and processed meats such as bacon, sausage and bologna. Replace red meat with white-meat poultry and whole-fat dairy with non-fat. Cut back on, or completely eliminate, processed meats.
Step 4
Eat fish three to four times a week. Fish such as salmon, lake trout, herring, mackerel and halibut contain essential fish oil known as omega-3 fatty acids. This oil lowers your cholesterol and risk of heart disease. If fish is not for you, this oil is available in an over-the-counter supplement at your local pharmacy. Follow dosing directions on the bottle.
Step 5
Avoid products containing trans fats. Trans fats are a liquid fat found in commercially baked cakes, cookies and pastries. You also find them in snack chips and crackers. This type of fat increases your LDL cholesterol and lowers your HDL, or good cholesterol. Read the labels on products claiming to be trans-fat free -- if you find partially hydrogenated or hydrogenated oil among the ingredients, put it down. These are both forms of trans fats.
