Generally a good portion of your cholesterol is going to be based on 1) diet and 2) your genetics. Also, the overall affect on you is also going to be dictated by your genetics. Some folks carry huge levels and live long times, other folks have real low levels and have heart problems usually associated with the levels..
My Dad is a good example. His was high, probably near were yours was Haymaker and he is in pretty good shape. Exercises a lot, if anything is underweight (6' 3" maybe 180 pounds back than, is leaner now) and eats his vegies, keeps fried foods to a miniumum and all those other nasties they talk about... He had to take the medicine to get his under control, if I remember correctly it was a fast fix once he started up..
One of these days, soon, I will have to start eating better and take those drugs too. Probably if I would start eating better and getting more exercise it would be less of a problem. n the future... LAst time I got mine tested mine was on the low side... Took it as a kid once for some reason or another and they said it was off teh charts... but back than I was probab a BCS 1 and now I am more like a 6.