Vegan is not necessary, nor even a good idea, however. Lowering
LDL is the goal, but RAISING HDL is also good, as it helps mitigate the impact of LDL. An excellent way to accomplish this is to eat fish, especially those high in Omega-3 fatty acids.
I eat no red meat, limited chicken and low fat cheese, lots of salmon and other fish, and take Omega-3 fatty acid as a supplement as well.