Andrew, I just had a great annual physical with one issue, poor LDL score. What are the best lifestyle attributes to follow to get/keep LDL where it needs to be?

When you say poor LDL, was it too high?

The most important figures to look at on a blood test in regards to heart health are homocysteine levels and the LDL to HDL ratio.
Regardless, the LDL is not the problem--assuming it's abnormal for you, it's a symptom. So the question is a symptom of what? Cholesterol's role in the body is to repair tissue. Thus, if it's elevated, you have to figure out what is doing the damage. Some possibilities:
--exercise
--aging
--food
The last of these is often the culprit, but look beyond what is commonly accepted as the usual suspect--high fat food. Most of cholesterol is made in the body (about 2500mg), not from what you eat. So eggs and full fat dairy and all the other real foods we've lived on for eons are not the problem. Most often it's vegetable oils which are used in any/everything processed because they're so cheap. Unfortunately, they're also unsaturated (typically polyunsaturated) which means they're quite fragile. When exposed to heat, they quickly go rancid. So cooking with them is a no-no. But consuming them at all comes with risks since they're all exposed to heat in the manufacturing process. So typically they're rancid before you even buy them. And I'm not even addressing the other health issues associated with PUFA's.

Another consideration would be food you're intolerant of/allergic to and is, thus, creating damage in the small intestine and elsewhere anytime you eat it. Commonly this will be gluten, dairy, soy, alcohol, or any food that's eaten more often than once/every 4 days. OTC and prescription meds are possibilities, too.

I'd recommend getting rid of the offending foods for at least 2 months while working to heal the digestive system via digestible food and other measures.

Hope that helps.
Glad you're out there reading/listening/taking responsibility for your self.

Much chi
--Andrew
PS--if you're not sleeping at the right times (from 10p.m. until 6 a.m.), it'll cost you in terms of repair. As will not drinking enough, poor posture, the wrong kind of exercise, or anything which stresses the body.

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