Don't Focus on Statins Alone

• Make yourself fit. As Stein notes, study after study shows that regular physical activity "has a very important part to play" in maintaining healthy blood cholesterol levels. "Eating well is part of it, but if you don't work hard to keep caloric consumption in check, you're going to get heavier." Physical activity burns calories. "And fitness is especially important to maintain weight that has been lost," he said.

• Fill up on fruit, vegetables and fiber. Fruit and vegetables are high in flavor, low in calories and loaded with fiber, which helps control weight and blood cholesterol levels. Don't forget to count oatmeal and other whole grains in that high fiber mix. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) allows oatmeal makers to claim that it helps lower blood cholesterol levels when combined with a low-fat, low-cholesterol diet.

• Chew some healthy fat. Olive, canola, sunflower and other oils with mono-saturated or polyunsaturated fat help improve blood cholesterol levels. While they work in different ways, some can help lower low-density lipoprotein (LDL), the most damaging form of cholesterol, while others either boost or keep steady levels of the protective high-density lipoprotein (HDL).

• Spread some sterols or stanols on your toast. Research shows that these spreads -- sold as Benecol and Take Control -- help lower blood cholesterol levels by as much as 6 percent. Trouble is, they also contain as many calories as margarine. So go easy in slathering them on your morning bagel. "We don't want people to eat three bagels to get their servings of plant stanols or sterols," said Hsia, who advises patients using these products to have them just once a day.

• Nuts to you. Rich in healthy mono-unsaturated fat as well as omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids (which can help avert a dangerous, irregular heartbeat), nuts are "a terrific way to supplement your diet," Stein said. But since they're also calorie-dense, a few go a long way. Sprinkle diced, sliced or slivered nuts on your salad or your morning cereal. But mete out whole nuts carefully rather than eating them mindlessly (at about 170 calories per handful).

• Add a little garlic. Not only is it filled with flavor, but there's some evidence that garlic may help lower blood cholesterol. Forget garlic supplements, Stein advised, since the data on them are still limited.

• Drink tea. In addition to other healthy substances, a soothing brew of either black or green tea contains antioxidants, which may help reduce inflammation linked with blockages in arteries .

• Savor soy. The FDA says that eating soy, in conjunction with a low-fat, low-cholesterol diet, may help lower risk of heart disease. Aim for 25 grams per day -- about the amount found in a handful of soy nuts and a glass of soy milk. For best effects, research suggests that soy must be eaten regularly.

Share Your Tips or ask questions about healthy nutrition and activity when Sally Squires hosts the Lean Plate Club online chat, from 1 to 2 p.m. today, on www.washingtonpost.com. Can't join live? E-mail leanplateclub@washpost.com anytime.

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