When it comes to heart health, cholesterol often takes center stage. Managing your cardiovascular risk is more than just watching your LDL or “bad cholesterol”. It’s about supporting your body with the right daily habits and understanding what your lab numbers really mean. Here’s the truth: Lipid panels don’t tell the whole story. 

While total cholesterol, LDL, HDL, and triglycerides are important markers, newer and more precise metrics, like apolipoprotein B (apoB) and lipoprotein(a), give deeper insight into your true cardiovascular risk. ApoB measures the number of atherogenic (plaque-causing) particles, regardless of their cholesterol content. Lipoprotein(a) is a genetically inherited risk factor that’s often missed in standard labs.  

Next time you’re due for labs with your care team, inquire about a full heart panel outside of the standard three lipid profiles. If you are aiming to lower LDL specifically, I have the combo that helped me decrease my own level by 35 points in less than 3 months, and they’re all science-backed, natural methods.  

1. Boost Your Soluble Fiber Intake 

Soluble fiber acts like a sponge in your digestive tract, binding with cholesterol and sweeping it out of the body before it gets absorbed. Fiber has and remains to be one of my primary nutrition goals in terms of what my daily meals consist of, though once I added in a daily morning bowl of buckwheat, I saw incredible changes.  

I bring a small pot of ¾ cups water and ¾ homemade hemp milk to a boil, pour in my buckwheat, and stir until preferred consistency. Then, I add blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, raisins, hemp seed, flax seed and manuka honey. I ate this every.single.morning. for the last three months and plan to continue the habit.  

Soluble fiber can also be found in oats, beans, apples, chia seeds, lentils, and psyllium husk, amongst others. Just 5–10 grams of soluble fiber daily can reduce LDL by up to 10%. It also helps regulate blood sugar and supports healthy gut bacteria. 

2. Swap in Healthy Fats 

Not all fats are equal. Replacing saturated fats with unsaturated fats can improve your lipid profile dramatically. What are some examples? Use extra virgin organic olive oil instead of butter. Eat avocados, nuts, and seeds. Add fatty, fishlike salmon, sardines, or mackerel 2x/week. Aim for wild caught fish versus farmed. These fats raise HDL (“good”) cholesterol and lower triglycerides, a key marker of cardiovascular risk. 

3. Move More, Stress Less 

Your heart is a muscle, and physical activity not only strengthens this muscle, but it also improves your cholesterol levels. Exercise increases HDL and helps clear LDL particles from your bloodstream. Aim for at least 150 minutes per week of moderate-intensity cardio exercise paired with 2-3 dedicated strength days. As someone who has a long line of hereditary heart disease, I often double my cardio number with walks, jogging, and steady state cardio, but this isn’t necessary for everyone. When I did, I saw the most dramatic decline in LDL, indicating that my body requires more intensive cardio plans than the standard recommendation. Reminder: each body is uniquely different. We don’t all operate under the same instruction manual.  

Stress plays an incredibly large role in your heart metrics and overall health and can directly impact lipid panels. My highest score occurred when I was grieving the loss of a pet. As I worked through this grief and trauma, and doubled down on a fitness routine again, my numbers decreased again over time. We often find ourselves becoming cardio bunnies and overcorrecting what’s on our plate when the root cause is hidden in the daily stressors. Look at your load and analyze what can be removed to decrease the mental burden that translates into physical health.  

Genetics Matter, Too 

If you have a family history of heart disease, you’re not starting from a level playing field. People with a genetic predisposition to high cholesterol or cardiovascular conditions may need to be more proactive and may not see ideal results from lifestyle changes alone. Get screened early and repeat tests often. Quarterly is a great habit to form rather than waiting 6-12 months. A lot can happen in just three months. Talk to your healthcare provider about advanced lipid testing and targeted strategies. 

Supporting heart health is a long game. It’s not about perfection, it’s about building heart-smart habits that compound over time. 

✅ Eat more fiber 
✅ Choose healthy fats 
✅ Move your body 
✅ Monitor your numbers (and go beyond basic panels) 
✅ Know your family history and act accordingly 

Your heart is working 24/7. Take care of it naturally, consistently, and wisely.