What is Cholesterol?

• Cholesterol is similar to fat. Your body makes most of it although some cholesterol is created from the food you ingest. Cholesterol is not all bad. We need some for hormone formation and the proper functioning or our cells. However, an excessive amount of cholesterol can cause serious health problems.
  
  

A Staggering Problem

• If you suffer from high cholesterol you are not alone. Approximately half of all adults in the United States have levels above the recommended limit. The American Heart Association says nearly 100-million men and women in the U.S. have cholesterol levels of 200 mg/dL or higher.
  
  

Potentially Deadly

• Very high levels of cholesterol (over 240) can be life threatening. Cholesterol is directly related to cardiovascular disease. If not lowered to a safe level it can result in heart attacks and strokes. According to The World Health Organization more than half of the heart attacks are associated with unhealthy cholesterol levels.
  
  

Cut the Fat First

• You may want to consider cutting back on the amount of cholesterol producing foods you eat prior to making major dietary changes. Products such as prepackaged cookies and cakes are especially bad since they raise "bad" cholesterol while simultaneously lowering "good" cholesterol. A realistic goal would be to keep your daily saturated fat consumption limited to less than 10 percent of your food intake.
  
  

High Cholesterol Foods

• Generally speaking, dairy products, especially eggs, should be avoided when working to reduce your cholesterol level. Don't assume that fat is an indicator of cholesterol content. Organ meats such as kidney and liver are low in fat but high in cholesterol. Some shellfish are also high in cholesterol although most fish have less cholesterol than red meat and chicken. You can reduce your "bad" cholesterol by at least 10 percent when you consume food items that are fortified with plant sterols such as margarines, orange juice and yogurt drinks. Sterols or stanols are substances found in plants and work to block the absorption of cholesterol.
  
  

Cholesterol-Free Foods

• If you want to avoid food that contains any cholesterol, stick with diets high in fruits, vegetables, nuts and cereal. They are completely free of cholesterol. Have a talk with your doctor or nutritionist about creating a healthy, well-rounded diet that will work to reduce your cholesterol level. Be sure to take action soon. Keep in mind that unhealthy cholesterol is a potentially silent killer.