High cholesterol usually causes no obvious symptoms. Visible signs like xanthomas or corneal arcus appear mainly when levels are very high. Screening with a lipid panel and managing risk factors can help prevent heart attack and stroke.
Dietary patterns - especially Mediterranean-style eating, more soluble fiber and plant sterols, and replacing saturated fats with unsaturated fats - can lower LDL cholesterol, but average reductions are modest and individual responses vary.
Cholesterol balance matters for heart and stroke risk. Combine diet, exercise, weight control, smoking cessation, stress management and, when needed, medications - guided by regular testing - to lower your risk.
Dietary cholesterol comes from animal products; to lower blood cholesterol focus on reducing saturated and trans fats, choosing plant-forward foods, and adding fiber-rich whole grains, beans, nuts, and healthy oils.
A clear, up-to-date guide to what cholesterol does, how LDL and HDL affect cardiovascular risk, which foods and habits raise cholesterol, and practical steps to lower it.
High cholesterol results from diet, lifestyle, genetics, and other health conditions. You can lower LDL and improve lipids with diet changes, exercise, quitting smoking, and, when needed, medication.
A Complete Lipid Profile measures total cholesterol, HDL, LDL, and triglycerides. Modern care uses these results plus your overall cardiovascular risk to guide lifestyle steps and, when needed, statin therapy.
High LDL cholesterol results from genetics, diet, lifestyle, and other medical conditions. Most people can lower risk by improving diet, exercising, managing health conditions, and - when needed - using medications.