• Avoid vanaspati (trans fatty acids). Decrease ghee / oil / butter in your diet.
• If you are a non-vegetarian, try to take more of fish. Eat lean meats. Eat chicken without the skin. They should not be fried. Meat should be consumed only in small quantities and less frequently ( prefer fish to fowl and fowl to flesh ).
• Do not smoke or take any other forms of tobacco.
• Work towards an ideal body weight .
• Be physically active .
• Eat lots of fresh fruits and vegetables - they reduce the bad effects of "bad" cholesterol on the blood vessels and also decrease the amount of fat absorbed.
• Eat 20-40 gms of unsalted, nonfried nuts or fruit seeds everyday.

Medication for lowering of cholesterol should be used only when the above measures have not been successful in lowering cholesterol.

Key to prevent diabetes, blood pressure, heart attacks, strokes, cancers …