Report copyright infringement by Anthony Dick (Author) To change your cholesterol levels, you should concentrate on eating a diet that is low in saturated fat, Trans fat, and cholesterol, and rich in soluble fiber. Some foods that are higher in saturated fat, Trans fat, and cholesterol include fatty meats, full-fat dairy products, and processed foods. On the other hand, foods that are high in soluble fiber include oatmeal, oat bran, barley, beans, apples, and citrus fruits. Asides eating a healthy diet, you should also aim to get regular physical activity. Exercise can help to lower your cholesterol levels by increasing your HDL (good) cholesterol and reducing your LDL (bad) cholesterol. Aim for at least 30 minutes of activity, five days a week. In addition to diet and required exercise, you should also avoid smoking and excessive alcohol use. Both smoking and drinking alcohol are linked to higher levels of cholesterol. * If you really want to bring down those high cholesterol readings without having to use medication, you will need to begin consuming a high fiber diet. It is the soluble fiber found in the foods that we eat that is most effective for bringing down lipid levels.Soluble fiber is not found in meats, but rather in plants such as vegetables, fruits, grains and nuts. Probably one of the most effective breakfasts that you can prepare is oatmeal with crushed walnuts mixed in. * A lowering high cholesterol diet is also going to require you to stop those foods that contain high amounts of saturated fats such as beef and pork. One of the worst offenders is bacon. You will find that your cholesterol as well as triglycerides will drop quickly if you substantially eliminate saturated fats.However, a word of warning. I am not talking about a low-fat diet that attempts to eliminate all fats. I found out the hard way that healthy fats, such as omega-3 fatty acids are essential to maintaining one's health. As is so often the case, it is easy to cut out the good with the bad when dieting. If you decide to work at lowering cholesterol by diet, be sure to eat lots of healthy fats such as those found in fish and nuts. * I found it very helpful to follow a structured diet plan while bringing my cholesterol readings down. The South Beach diet, for instance is very effective, even though it is not designed to improve cholesterol readings. The recipes for this diet plan are wonderful, making it an easy diet to follow for the long-term.