Levels above 200 but below 240 are considered borderline, but other factors such as age, obesity, smoking, and lack of exercise can cause a person to be at high risk for strokes and heart diseases. Lowering the level of blood cholesterol to below 200 will slow the fatty buildup of plaque in the arterial walls, thus reducing the risk of heart diseases and strokes. If you are a smoker, stop. Do not indulge in excessive eating, especially those foods high in dietary cholesterol and fat. If obese, loose some weight.
Aerobic exercise is excellent and can be done without equipment.
If you just cannot do without animal meats, trim all the fat from it and remove the skins. Cigarette smoking is considered to the most preventable cause of heart attacks.