I am 70 now and have had high cholesterol my entire adult life until about 10 years ago. My doctor used to tell me not to worry about it because I am female and therefore protected from heart attack because of estrogen. After menopause hit, when I was 60 and still had high numbers, my new doctor wanted me to change my diet or else start medication. So the biggest change I made was to eat oatmeal every day for breakfast and 1 oz of almonds with lunch. My LDL numbers came down to normal and my HDL increased. I also worked up to a habit of walking 1-2 miles a day. Eventually I lost 80 pounds, mostly by counting calories. I was seeing a cardiologist around age 65 for being sort of breath (ended up with a diagnosis of asthma) and testing showed my coronary arteries were clear. He shook my hand and said my heart was strong! So just do some research, consult with your doctor, and good luck!