Stop smoking

9 ways to lower your risk of high cholesterol

Prevention is key when is comes to a healthy heart. Improve your cholesterol levels by following these tips

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3. Stop smoking

Smoking depresses levels of good cholesterol by seven to 20 percent and at the same time can raise your bad cholesterol 70 percent, according to one analysis of several studies. It also unleashes toxic chemicals that make LDL more dangerous to your arteries. By quitting smoking, you'll see benefits incredibly quickly: blood levels of heart-protecting HDL bounce back within a month or two of making this one change.