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After finding out you have hypercholesterolemia, your medical team may recommend medication to lower your high cholesterol levels and thus reduce your risk of heart attack, stroke, and other life-changing harms. However, there's a lot more you can do in daily life to reduce your cholesterol and improve your odds of a heart-healthy future.

What you eat makes a difference in controlling cholesterol levels. And it's not just cholesterol content in the food that matters. Saturated fat, trans fat, and other components also play a role. The biggest source of saturated fat is animal product foods like red meat, processed meats, and high-fat dairy products like butter and cheese. Commercial and processed baked goods and fried foods are top culprits for trans fats. Check food labels and opt for fresh, less processed options.

Foods like whole grains, beans, and apples are high in soluble fiber that binds to cholesterol in the digestive system so it doesn't go into your blood vessels. Plant sterols and stanols -- found in whole grains, nuts, fruit, and vegetables -- also keep the body from absorbing cholesterol from food. Foods like nuts, plant oils, and fatty fish are high in polyunsaturated fats, which directly lower low-density lipoprotein (LDL).

But rather than just avoiding specific foods, the best strategy may be to follow a that emphasizes vegetables, fruits, whole grains, legumes like beans, and healthy sources of protein, like low-fat dairy products, low-fat poultry, fish, seafood, and nuts. The DASH and the Mediterranean diets are often recommended for heart health. So is cutting , which are linked to heart risks.

Managing your weight will also help reduce your risk of heart problems and stroke. Overweight and obesity have been linked to higher "bad" LDL cholesterol and lower "good" high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol.

While it might not directly impact cholesterol levels, exercise does reduce cardiovascular and other risks. Aim for brisk walking or other aerobic activity for a , spread throughout the week. One way to tell if you're getting your heart and respiratory rate high enough is the so-called talk test: you can still talk (even if just a few words before pausing for a breath) while exercising but not sing.

The nicotine in tobacco raises your LDL cholesterol levels and lowers your HDL cholesterol levels, which is another reason to quit.

Read previous installments in this series:

For Your Patients: Hypercholesterolemia: Understanding Your Diagnosis

For Your Patients: Why Do High Cholesterol Levels Matter?

For Your Patients: Who Gets Hypercholesterolemia?

For Your Patients: Screening and Diagnosis of High Cholesterol

For Your Patients: Understanding Inherited Cholesterol Disorders

"Medical Journeys" is a set of clinical resources reviewed by doctors, meant for physicians and other healthcare professionals as well as the patients they serve. Each episode of this journey through a disease state contains both a physician guide and a downloadable/printable patient resource. "Medical Journeys" chart a path each step of the way for physicians and patients and provide continual resources and support, as the caregiver team navigates the course of a disease.