Dyslipidemia is abnormal levels of lipids (cholesterol, triglycerides, or both) carried by lipoproteins in the blood. This term includes hyperlipoproteinemia (hyperlipidemia), which refers to abnormally high levels of total cholesterol, low density lipoprotein (LDL)—the bad—cholesterol, or triglycerides, as well as an abnormally low level of high density lipoprotein (HDL)—the good—cholesterol. * Lifestyle, genetics, disorders, drugs, or a combination can contribute. * Atherosclerosis can result, causing angina, heart attacks, strokes, and peripheral arterial disease. * Doctors measure levels of triglycerides and the various types of cholesterol in blood. * Exercise, dietary changes, and drugs can be effective. Eat a low-cholesterol, low-fat diet, which includes cottage cheese, fat-free milk, fish, vegetables, poultry, and egg whites. Use monounsaturated oils such as olive, peanut, and canola oils or polyunsaturated oils such as corn, safflower, soy, sunflower, cottonseed, and soybean oils. Avoid foods with excess fat in them such as meat (especially liver and fatty meat), egg yolks, whole milk, cream, butter, shortening, pastries, cakes, cookies, gravy, peanut butter, chocolate, olives, potato chips, coconut, cheese (other than cottage cheese), coconut oil, palm oil, and fried foods.