Recently diagnosed

Being diagnosed with high cholesterol may be a bit of a shock, since it has no obvious physical symptoms.

Depending on how high your cholesterol is, your GP or practice nurse may initially suggest that you make some changes to your everyday life. For example, changing to a low fat diet, drinking less alcohol and, if you smoke, giving up tobacco can all help to reduce your cholesterol. If these changes do not work, then you may be prescribed medication.

Lifestyle changes which can help
In many cases, a few small changes to your lifestyle can really help to bring down the 'bad' LDL cholesterol in your system.

Choosing foods that are low in saturated fat will reduce the cholesterol you take in through your diet. Go for lean meat and oily fish instead of red meat and poultry.

Taking some mild exercise can help to stimulate your circulation, which can actively increase your 'good' HDL cholesterol levels.

Cutting back on tobacco or, even better, giving up all together can make a big difference. Smoking can reduce the levels of 'good' HDL cholesterol in your system, reducing your protection against heart disease.

Telling family and friends will enable them to help with your new eating and exercise programme wherever possible – and give you the support you need to make the transition.

Being positive about your diagnosis – and not pretending it hasn't happened – is really important. The sooner you start doing something about it, the sooner your cholesterol will start to return to a healthy level.

Learn how medicines can help