4 Tips for Lower Cholesterol Fast

Deepening smile lines and silver locks may be inevitable features of growing older, but rising cholesterol doesn't have to be.

And while higher cholesterol is often a consequence of aging, young people can have it too. But no matter your age, it poses a big health risk. That's because unhealthy cholesterol levels can boost your risk of heart attacks, strokes, and other problems.

Fortunately, you can do something about it.

"Unlike your age and your genes, cholesterol levels are risk factors that you can often change," says Jorge Plutzky MD, director of the Vascular Disease Prevention Program at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston.

Lower Cholesterol: 4 Ways to Fast Results

According to experts, there are four basic ways to get your cholesterol where you want it:

• Eating a healthy diet.
• Exercising
• Losing weight
• Taking medicine -- in some cases

While each of these works, some people have more success with one than another. Many need a combination of approaches.

No matter what your age or the state of your health, you can reduce your risks of serious problems by controlling your cholesterol -- and it's not as hard as you think.

Know Your Cholesterol Numbers

While Plutzky says that people are often alarmed when they find out they have high cholesterol, many are also confused.

"They don't understand what the numbers mean," he tells WebMD, "They don't know the difference between total cholesterol, LDL and HDL."

So let's start with some basics. Cholesterol is a fat-like substance that circulates in your blood. Some of it is made naturally by your body, and the rest comes from foods you eat. There are two main types: HDL and LDL.

• LDL is "bad cholesterol." It can clog your arteries, increasing the risk of heart attack and stroke. Optimal number: Less than 100mg/dL.

• HDL is "good cholesterol." What's good about it? HDL attaches to bad cholesterol and escorts it to the liver, which filters it out of the body. So HDL reduces the amount of bad cholesterol in your system. Desirable number: 60mg/dL or higher.

• Total cholesterol is the sum of all types of cholesterol in your blood. Although your doctor may still refer to this number, it's less significant than your HDL and LDL levels. Desirable number: Less than 200 mg/dL.

• Triglycerides , while not cholesterol, are another type of fat floating in your blood. Just as with bad cholesterol, having a high level of triglycerides increases your risk of cardiovascular problems. Healthy number: Less than 150 mg/dL.

Think you need to get a handle on your LDL, HDL, total cholesterol or triglycerides? Here's how to do it.

1. Lower Cholesterol by Eating Right

You've probably heard it before, but foods that are high in saturated fat and -- to a lesser extent -- high in cholesterol, boost your cholesterol levels. These include foods like egg yolks, fatty meats, and full-fat dairy products.