I'm also one who blood test done this year shows higher LDL and total cholesterol than the AMA recommend. However, the more I research it, the more that I find this is only one indicator/symptom in a huge array of blood test results to consider. I have tried taking many cholesterol reducing drugs but have had a reaction to every one of them. So I started researching. The more in-depth that I looked the more I'm okay with listening to my body and not taking those drugs.
Some things that I looked at...
LDL to HDL Ratio: 3 to 1 or less (2:1 is ideal)
Triglyceride to HDL Ratio: 2 to 1 or less (1:1 or higher HDL than Tri are optimal)
Chol/HDLC Ratio <5.0
Lipoprotein (a) <75
When I look at my test results using these scales, then I'm all good. By the way - research Lipoprotein (a) test results. What I found says there is nothing you can eat or drugs you can take to change it.
Something I found interesting. I compared my own numbers over several years. 5 years ago my cholesterol numbers were high like this year. The years In between those two high blood tests show the total & LDL numbers were in the range the AMA likes. So 2 of the 5 years are high but the other 3 years in between them meet the AMA standard. Hum....