Almost 40% of Canadian adults have elevated cholesterol levels, and most don’t even know it. High cholesterol doesn’t cause symptoms, but it quietly increases your risk of heart attack, stroke, and other chronic diseases over time.

So what's the good news? It's that what you eat and how you live can have as much of an impact on your cholesterol as many medications.

Clients who commit to a few key habits often drop their cholesterol numbers by 10–20% within just a few months. And you don’t need a perfect diet, just consistent effort and a few small changes.

This 5-step framework is exactly what I recommend to my clients in Ontario who want to lower their cholesterol naturally while improving their overall health.

What is Cholesterol and Why Does it Matter?

Cholesterol isn’t the villain it’s made out to be. It’s a waxy, fat-like substance that your body uses to build cells and make hormones. Your liver makes all the cholesterol you need, but you also get some from food.

The problem isn’t cholesterol itself. It’s how it travels in your bloodstream. That’s where HDL, LDL, and VLDL come in.

What's HDL? (The Good Cholesterol)

HDL (high-density lipoprotein) acts like a cleanup crew. It moves excess cholesterol from your arteries back to your liver, where it can be broken down and removed. This is why it's called the "good cholesterol".

When your HDL is high, it protects you. But when it’s low, cholesterol can build up in your arteries.

Research shows that regular exercise and healthy fats (like those in olive oil, nuts, and fatty fish) can raise HDL by 5–10%.

What's LDL? (The Bad Cholesterol)

LDL (low-density lipoprotein) isn’t all bad—it carries cholesterol where it’s needed for cell repair and hormone production. But when LDL levels are too high, cholesterol starts sticking to your artery walls, forming plaque.

That’s when things get dangerous.

High LDL is a strong predictor of heart disease, according to the Canadian Cardiovascular Society Guidelines. Your goal isn’t zero LDL, just less.

What's VLDL?

VLDL (very low-density lipoprotein) carries triglycerides (another type of fat) from your liver to your tissues. High VLDL usually means high triglycerides, which often come from too much sugar and alcohol.

If your bloodwork shows elevated triglycerides and/or VLDL, that’s your body telling you it’s overloaded with energy it doesn’t need.

The Goal of Cholesterol Management

To reduce your risk of developing heart disease, the goal is to

• Increase your HDL

• Decrease your LDL

• Decrease your VLDL

And you can do that through diet and lifestyle changes!

How to Increase HDL:

• Replace saturated fats with unsaturated fats

• Weight Loss of 5-10% bodyweight

• Exercise Regularly

• Quit Smoking

• Manage blood sugars if you have diabetes

How To Decrease LDL:

• Increase fiber intake

• Limit ultraprocessed foods

• Weight Loss of 5-10% bodyweight

• Exercise Regularly

How To Decrease VLDL (Triglycerides):

• Reduce added Sugars

• Exercise Regularly

• Limit Alcohol Intake

5 Steps To Reduce Your Cholesterol With Diet

Below is the framework I recommend for lowering cholesterol naturally. These steps are ordered by their overall importance for both cholesterol and long-term health.

1.Exercise Regularly

• Exercise increases your good cholesterol (HDL) by 5-10%, which helps to remove the bad cholesterol from your body

• Exercise can transform your bad cholesterol into a larger, less dense version, which is less damaging to your health

• Exercise increases insulin sensitivity and improves body composition, which can reduce your risk of developing other chronic illnesses

Start With:

• 150 minutes a week of brisk walking

• 2-3 resistance training sessions per week

Then take a look at your fiber intake.

2.Increase Your Fiber Intake

Most people in Ontario don’t get even half the recommended daily fiber intake. That’s a huge missed opportunity because fiber is your body’s natural cholesterol filter.

Here’s how it works: soluble fiber binds to cholesterol in your digestive system and helps carry it out before it can enter your bloodstream.

In one major review from The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, participants who added just 5–10 grams of soluble fiber per day saw a 5–10% drop in LDL cholesterol.

Start here:

• Add oats or chia seeds to breakfast daily

• Eat fruits or vegetables at every meal

  
  

Work up to:

• Half your plate fruits and vegetables

• Whole grains at each meal

• 30 different plant foods per week for gut health and variety

  
  

Then try to reduce sugar in your diet.

3.Reduce Added Sugars In Your Diet

High sugar intake is one of the fastest ways to raise your triglycerides and increase your VLDL. When you eat too much sugar, your liver converts the excess into triglycerides, which then get stored as fat.

Over time, that contributes to fatty liver and worsens insulin resistance—two major players in high cholesterol and heart disease.

Start here:

• Ditch sugar-sweetened beverages (pop, energy drinks, sweetened iced coffee)

• Choose artificially sweetened or unsweetened alternatives while you adjust your palate

  
  

Work toward:

• Checking nutrition labels for hidden sugars (anything ending in “-ose” is sugar)

• Limiting desserts to special occasions, not nightly habits

  
  

Your energy levels, liver, and cholesterol will thank you.

4.Reduce Alcohol Intake

Alcohol is one of the most overlooked contributors to high cholesterol and triglycerides.

Even moderate drinking can raise your triglycerides, blood pressure, and inflammation. I’ve seen countless clients surprised when their bloodwork improved just from cutting back.

Here’s the truth: your body doesn’t store alcohol—it prioritizes metabolizing it. That means everything else, including fat metabolism, gets put on hold. Over time, that contributes to higher fat and cholesterol levels in your blood.

A 2023 Canadian Journal of Cardiology review confirmed that even low to moderate alcohol intake increases triglycerides and can offset any potential “heart benefits” once believed to exist.

If your goal is to lower cholesterol, alcohol is one of the fastest wins:

Start here:

• Limit drinking to no more than 1–2 drinks per week for a few months and see how your bloodwork responds.

• Replace “wind-down” drinks with sparkling water and citrus or alcohol-free alternatives.

  
  

You don’t have to quit. But you do have to be honest about how much you drink. Cutting back is one of the simplest, highest-impact choices for better cholesterol, energy, and recovery.

5.Replace Saturated Fats With Unsaturated Fats

This is where a lot of people get confused. Dietary cholesterol (like eggs or shrimp) isn’t the main culprit for high blood cholesterol—saturated fat is.

When you eat too much saturated fat, your liver produces more LDL cholesterol. That’s why replacing it with unsaturated fats makes such a difference.

Studies from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health show that swapping just 5% of your calories from saturated fat to unsaturated fat can lower LDL cholesterol by up to 10%.

Start with these swaps:

• Choose olive oil or avocado oil instead of butter or coconut oil

• Pick leaner cuts of meat (sirloin, chicken breast, pork tenderloin)

• Snack on nuts, seeds, and fatty fish like salmon or trout twice a week

  
  

What research consistently shows is that the pattern of your diet matters more than individual foods. A diet built around whole grains, lean proteins, plant-based fats, and high fiber will outperform any “cholesterol diet plan” you’ll find online.

Summary: Your Cholesterol Lowering Blueprint

1. Exercise regularly: 150 minutes of brisk walking + 2–3 strength sessions weekly.

2. Increase your fiber intake: Eat oats, chia, fruit, vegetables, and whole grains daily.

3. Reduce added sugars: Swap out sugary drinks, watch for hidden sugars, and limit desserts.

4. Reduce alcohol intake: Cut back to 1–2 drinks per week and focus on hydration instead.

5. Replace saturated fats with unsaturated fats: Choose olive oil, nuts, and fish over butter and processed meats.

   
   

Do this consistently for 8–12 weeks, and you’ll likely see improvements in your HDL, LDL, and triglyceride levels on your next blood test.

And remember: the goal isn’t perfection. It’s progress.

By following these 5 steps, you can significantly improve your cholesterol and improve your metabolic health. Want a free printable guide with everything here? Download my free cholesterol-lowering handout

Common Myths About Cholesterol

Myth #1: All Fat is Bad

Not true. You need fat for hormone production and brain health. The key is choosing the right fats! Choose mostly unsaturated ones from plants and fish.

Myth #2: You have To Avoid Eggs

Eggs are fine for most people. Dietary cholesterol in eggs doesn’t significantly affect your blood cholesterol in most cases, especially if the rest of your diet is balanced.

Myth #3: Medication is The Only Way To Lower Cholesterol

While statins are lifesaving for some, research shows that diet and exercise can reduce LDL by 15–30% in many people. Lifestyle changes are always the foundation.

FAQ's

Free Resource

Want a printable guide with everything I just outlined—including food swaps, a sample grocery list, and a weekly checklist?

[Download my free Cholesterol-Lowering Handout here.]

And if you want to see how I apply this in real life, follow me on Instagram. That’s where I share day-to-day examples, grocery tips, and realistic nutrition advice that actually fits your life.