If your cholesterol is extremely high and your doctor feels you are at risk, he may put you on statins, a prescription drug to lower your overall cholesterol.
But most people only continue these drugs for a year due to high cost and/or adverse side effects.
There are ways that your cholesterol can be lowered, and you don't have to wait for a nudge from your doctor to do it.
Learn a few simple ways to naturally lower your cholesterol here.
Add cholesterol-lowering foods to your diet.
There are a number of foods created especially for people with high numbers, including butters, cooking oils, and macrobiotic yogurt shots.
These can be expensive, so if you are on a budget you may want to add foods that are known to help.
Oatmeal is a powerful tool in your fight against high cholesterol.
Eat some every morning for the best results.
Adding garlic to foods also helps lower your overall cholesterol, and heart-healthy fats like those found in olive oil can also do the trick.
Everyday new foods are being discovered that help.
Take a supplement.
Any supplement containing a significant amount of Omega-3 fatty acids like fish oil or flaxseed oil will do the trick.
Other supplements based on food are popular, like garlic and cinnamon if you don't like the taste of these when added to your diet.
Cinnamon is helpful for weight loss, too.
Vitamins B-3 and B-5 are both great for lowering LDL and raising HDL.
Some opt for B-3 (also called Niacin) in larger doses, which is only available by prescription.
Guggulipid and Green Tea are plant-based extracts that are popular, as well as magnesium.
Whichever supplement you choose, be sure to inform your doctor of any you are taking.
Eat right.
Our diet is the largest contributor to cholesterol, so it's important to be conscious of what you consume.
Experts recommend a Mediterranean style diet with unsaturated fats and plenty of fresh food.
If you're having trouble with your weight, you might want to try some herbal diet pills that don't have the troublesome effects of chemically-based ones.
Be sure to get plenty of exercise as well.
A natural appetite suppressant such as hoodia may get you on the right track to eating appropriate portions and avoiding temptation.