I recommend having your father get a more detailed lab-workup on his cholesterol results. I just found out I have high total chol -- my HDL is ok but my LDL is high. When I got a more detailed analysis of the breakdown of the HDL, it was my Lp(a) which is a component that CANNOT be influenced by diet and exercise. In other words, no matter how much garlic, oatmeal, low carbs I ingest it wont make a damn bit of difference.....