The majority of advice on lowering cholesterol focuses on subtracting fatty ingredients from the diet. But hospitalist and emergency room physician Dr James Kyon, who serves as a clinical advisor at Epiphany Wellness, warns that cutting back on saturated fat without swapping it for a healthier alternative is where most people go wrong.He advises that dietary changes, specifically those increasing soluble fibre and replacing saturated fat with unsaturated fats, can lower LDL – or bad – cholesterol within just six to twelve weeks.The emphasis on replacing the ingredients, rather than simply reducing them, is what is key here, according to the expert.Substituted saturated fats may be more effective than reducing them for cholesterol | GETTYThis could involve swapping butter for olive oil, or red meat for oily fish, which gives the body a more effective fat to work with rather than just leaving a gap in your diet.Fibre also plays a pivotal role, the doctor explained. “Foods like oats, beans and avocados aid in cholesterol reduction,” he shared, referencing fibre’s ability to bind to cholesterol in the gut and drag it out of the body before it’s absorbed.There are limits to his approach, however. While no single food matches the efficacy of statins, lifestyle changes still make a significant difference when bad cholesterol is mildly elevated.So while dietary changes may be enough for some to improve their lipid profile, more serious cases may still warrant statins. Anyone with significantly elevated cholesterol should still speak to a GP.But for anyone trying to shift their numbers, Dr Lyons maintains that simply taking foods away from the diet is not enough.Replace saturated fats with unsaturated ones and add as much soluble fibre to your eating plan as possible. Then stay consistent, he advises.Consistency matters more than speed because it typically takes between six and twelve weeks to see lasting results.The advice comes as researchers at the University of Oxford have developed a new tool to help appease common worries about statins.The latest research shows that the majority of people eligible for statin therapy face a low predicted risk of serious muscle-related side effects, which puts them off starting or continuing treatment.The doctor recommends swapping saturated fats for unsaturated fats | GETTYThe lead author of their latest study said the findings could “help put those concerns into perspective, support more informed treatment decisions and provide reassurance”.The calculator, which draws on health records from millions of NHS patients, will give patients and GPs a better picture of the benefits and risks before deciding whether medication is the right next step.