Help, I've got high cholesterol! 8 tips to help

Have you been told that you have high cholesterol?

You’re not the only one! More than 40% of people in England have high cholesterol, leaving them at a significant risk of heart disease.¹

The good news? In many cases, cholesterol levels can be improved through simple diet and lifestyle changes. Small, consistent habits often have a far greater impact than extreme diets or quick fixes.

Before we look at what can help, let’s quickly understand what cholesterol actually is.

What is cholesterol?

Cholesterol is a waxy, fat-like substance made naturally by the liver and found in every cell of the body. We need cholesterol to make hormones, vitamin D, and substances that help digest food.

Cholesterol travels through the bloodstream in particles called lipoproteins. The two main types are:²

LDL (“bad”) cholesterol
and HDL (“good”) cholesterol

Unfortunately, most adults in the UK consume excessive calories through food and drinks, too much saturated fat, salt, and sugar, and insufficient fibre, fruits, vegetables, or oily fish.³ This can lead to high LDL levels, increasing the risk of heart disease and stroke.

8 ways to lower high cholesterol naturally

1. Eat a colourful diet

Ensure to eat a wide variety of different foods, aiming for a minimum of 30 different plant foods each week – think vegetables, fruit, wholegrains, nuts and seeds, legumes, pulses, herbs, and spices.

Think about “eating the rainbow”. This means eating fruits and vegetables from each colour, and rotating your food sources of each colour. For example, if your green vegetable today is broccoli, have asparagus tomorrow; if you’re having a red pepper today, have a tomato the next day; have carrots one day and then swap for butternut squash, etc. Try this Super Salad to see how easy it can be!

Anthocyanins (beneficial compounds contained in berries and many other plant foods) have been shown to help reduce LDL cholesterol levels in overweight individuals. Simply eat a colourful variety of fruits and vegetables to add more anthocyanins to your diet.

2. Increase your fibre intake

Fibre is one of the most effective dietary tools for helping lower high cholesterol naturally, yet most adults in the UK consume far less than the recommended 30g per day.

Soluble fibre can decrease the absorption of cholesterol into the bloodstream.⁴

Good sources of soluble fibre include:

Oats
Barley
Beans and lentils
Apples and pears
Carrots
Psyllium husk

Fibre also feeds beneficial gut bacteria, helping to support both gut and heart health.

3. Support your gut microbiome with probiotics

Emerging research suggests the gut microbiome may play a role in cholesterol metabolism. Certain probiotic strains appear capable of influencing how cholesterol and bile acids are processed within the digestive system.⁵

Lactobacillus probiotics (of which Chuckling Goat kefir contains 11 different strains) significantly reduced both total cholesterol and “bad” LDL cholesterol levels.⁶

Fermented foods such as kefir, live yoghurt, sauerkraut and kimchi are simple ways to introduce beneficial microbes into the diet.

4. Reduce saturated fats & avoid trans fats

Another beneficial change is to reduce your consumption of saturated fats. These are most often found in red meats and full-fat dairy products. Don’t worry though, your full-fat Kefir is not a problem – kefir grains can reduce the cholesterol levels of milk by 41-84%!

A diet high in saturated fat can cause increased levels of cholesterol in the blood, thus raising your risk of heart disease.⁷⁸ You should also avoid trans-fats in your diet. Trans-fats are regularly found in shop-bought cakes and cookies, margarine, takeaways, and fried foods, and increase overall cholesterol levels.⁹

5. Get moving

Exercise is one of the most effective lifestyle tools for reducing high cholesterol and supporting heart health. The World Health Organisation suggests we each do 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise each week for good health, along with two sessions of strength training.¹⁰ Exercise is also a great tool for weight loss and maintaining a healthy weight, which is important for a healthy heart! Walking, swimming, jogging, and cycling can all help lower cholesterol, especially when done regularly.

6. Maintain a healthy weight

Following the points above will help guide you in trying to lose weight. Exercising regularly, and choosing wholefoods, low saturated fat options, and avoiding processed foods will aid in losing weight or maintaining a healthy weight, which is important for reducing risk of heart issues. This is particularly important for overweight or obese individuals. Carrying even a few extra pounds can lead to higher cholesterol.¹¹¹² If you are above a healthy weight range, or carry a lot of weight around your middle, focus on reducing your calorie intake and increasing your daily activity levels. Remember, small changes can add up to make a big difference – start parking further from your office or the shops, take the stairs, go for a walk on your lunch break, if you have an activity-tracking watch – challenge your friends to a weekly step challenge!

7. Quit smoking!

Looking after your cholesterol levels is another on the long list of reasons to quit smoking. The benefits of quitting actually happen very fast, so there’s no time like the present. Lung function and blood circulation will improve within just 3 months! Even more significant, within 12 months of ditching the cigarettes, your risk of heart disease is already half that of a smoker!¹³

8. Reduce alcohol intake

Reduce or cut out your alcohol intake. When you consume alcohol, it gets broken down by the liver into triglycerides and cholesterol.¹⁴ Excess alcohol may result in high blood pressure, strokes, heart failure, and other serious health issues.¹⁵ Ensure you have several alcohol free days each week and avoid excess/binge-drinking. Drink lots of water before, during, and after drinking alcohol – alternate between alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks when you’re out. Don’t be afraid to ask your friends and family for support. Letting those closest to you know that you’re taking steps towards better health and want their support will make cutting down easier.

Improving cholesterol levels is rarely about one single food or supplement. Instead, it comes from a combination of habits that support both heart and metabolic health over time.

Eating more fibre-rich foods, increasing plant diversity, staying active, maintaining a healthy weight and supporting your gut microbiome can all contribute to healthier cholesterol levels.

The most effective changes are often the ones you can maintain consistently.

For specific foods, nutrients, and supplements that can further benefit your cholesterol levels, check out 10 things you can eat to help tackle high cholesterol.

If you’re currently taking medication for high cholesterol, always speak to your GP or healthcare professional before making significant dietary changes or introducing new supplements.