If you have just been diagnosed with high cholesterol chances are you are looking for advice to help lower your risk (view risk factors PDF) of heart disease.

Some things can′t be changed; like the risk you inherit from your parents, your age and any symptoms you already have. But some things can be changed such as your diet and lifestyle.

Ask yourself:
· Are you a healthy weight for your height?
· Do you smoke?
· Could you improve your diet? (view our diet factsheet PDF)
· How often are you physically active? (view our exercise factsheet PDF)
· Are you under too much stress? (view our stress factsheet PDF)

Don′t expect to change your lifestyle overnight. For most of us that′s just not possible. Try to indentify 2 or 3 things you can do now and which you can maintain. Think how they can become a regular part of your lifestyle. Here are some ideas:

· Eat one or two extra portions of fruit and vegetables (view our fruit
    & vegetables fact sheet PDF) each day
· Reduce your intake of saturated fat from butter, lard, pies, pasties,
   pastries, cakes, biscuit and puddings, fatty meats and cheese, cream,
   full fat milk and yoghurt.
· Include an extra 10 minutes of exercise a day in your normal routine
   perhaps by walking part of the way to work or to the shops every day
· Make sure you have some "me time" - a chance to relax and take
   stock after a busy day
· Take up a sport or pastime that you really enjoy such as ballroom
   dancing, swimming or yoga
· Encourage other family members to be more active - dust off your
   bikes and go for a family cycle or nip down the park for a kick around
· Half your alcohol intake, or stick within sensible limits
· Ask at your Doctors surgery for advice about quitting smoking
· Can you increase your intake of wholegrain foods such as wholemeal
   bread, brown rice and pasta and wholegrain breakfast cereals. Aim for 3
   portions a day
· Consider reducing your portion sizes, try eating from a smaller plate
· Don′t skip meals, remember eating three healthy balanced meals is
   better than cutting meals altogether

Remember these small changes can result in big differences over time. Once new habits are established try making more changes.