1.Fat-free yoghurt and other fat-free dairy products:

Full-cream dairy products and most cheeses have a high saturated fat content and need to be avoided if you have raised cholesterol levels.

However, this doesn't mean that you should cut out this food group altogether. Cutting out dairy products will deprive you of calcium, a mineral that's essential for the healthy functioning of the heart and many other important roles in the human body, such as the prevention of osteoporosis.

You can, however, use fat-free milk, yoghurt and cottage cheese in a low-cholesterol diet. Once the fat has been removed from a dairy product, it also removes practically all the cholesterol.

Fat-free yoghurt is a particularly good choice as it is rich in protein, calcium and Lactobacillus microorganisms which may help to lower blood cholesterol levels

2. Vitamin C:

Foods rich in vitamin C include all the citrus fruits (oranges, grapefruit, lemons and naartjies), all berry fruits (cranberry, strawberry, blackberry etc), guava, spanspek, mango, the entire cabbage family (green and Chinese cabbage, broccoli, Brussels sprouts), as well as sweet and chilli peppers.

3. Don’t smoke:

Smoking makes everything that’s bad for the heart worse.Within 24 hours, your risk of a heart attack decreases. Within one year, your risk of heart disease is half that of a smoker. Within 15 years, your risk of heart disease is similar to someone who never smoked.

4. Exercise:

Aerobic exercise (the kind that gets your heart rate up) raises the level of HDL cholesterol and may also reduce the level of LDL.

In fact, since there is no such thing as eating foods high in HDL cholesterol, the only two ways you can raise HDL cholesterol is by exercising and reducing your body fat. Exercise is one of the few cholesterol-lowering activities that accomplish all three goals: lowering total cholesterol, raising HDLs, and lowering LDLs. Exercise stimulates the body to manufacture more HDL.

The cholesterol level of athletes is much lower than that of sedentary individuals.

5. Eat more fiber:

Fruits and vegetables, including whole grains, are good sources not only of heart-healthy antioxidants but also cholesterol-lowering dietary fiber. Soluble fiber, in particular, can help lower cholesterol.

Beckerman says it "acts like a sponge to absorb cholesterol" in the digestive tract. Good sources of soluble fiber include dried beans, oats, and barley, as well as fiber products containing psyllium.

6.  Go to Fish:

Researchers have discovered that people who eat fish three or more times a week are less likely to suffer from heart disease and high blood pressure. This is primarily due to the high omega-3 fatty acid content of fish.

The best fish sources of omega-3 fatty acids are fatty fish like salmon, tuna, trout and sardines, but eating any type of fish will benefit your heart.

Omega-3 fatty acids have been shown to reduce atherosclerosis, ventricular arrhythmias, blood fats, atherosclerotic plaques and blood pressure – all good reasons for eating fish regularly.

7. Drink green:

Magee suggests green tea as a healthier alternative to sodas and sugary beverages. Indeed, research in both animals and humans has shown that green tea contains compounds that can help lower LDL cholesterol. In a small study conducted in Brazil, people who took capsules containing a green tea extract were able to reduce their total cholesterol.

8. Avoid palm and coconut oils:

Most vegetable oils are unsaturated, but these two contain mostly saturated fat. Choose canola, sunflower, safflower, corn, soybean, olive, and peanut oils.

9. Reduce salt intake:

High blood pressure is a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Diets high in salt increase risk of hypertension.

10. Drink alcohol only in moderation:

Regular, moderate drinking can reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, but heavy drinking negates the benefits. Moreover, the advantages aren’t strong enough to recommend alcohol for anyone who doesn’t already drink. For those who do, the Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend no more than one drink a day for women, and one or two drinks a day for men.