f you’re taking a drug to lower cholesterol, you may wonder if you still need to watch your diet. The answer is yes.

Low-density lipoprotein is the most important type of cholesterol to treat. It’s also the most responsive to treatment with cholesterol-lowering drugs, such as statins. However, many people taking these drugs have not reached their target LDL cholesterol level. Other strategies -such as diet changes -that can be safely combined with drug therapy are usually recommended.

The November issue of Mayo Clinic Health Letter offers these diet changes to help lower cholesterol:

• Maintain a diet with a fat content between 10 percent and 20 percent.
• Minimize saturated and trans fats and High cholesterol foods.
• Consume adequate soluble fiber. Good sources include oat bran, dried beans, carrots, apples and citrus fruits.

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