More than 100 million people in the United States have high cholesterol levels, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and 35 million of these have cholesterol levels high enough to put them at risk for heart disease. Keeping your cholesterol count near the recommended levels can reduce your chances of developing cardiovascular disease.
Dietary Cholesterol
The average man in the United States consumes about 337 mg of cholesterol each day, and the average American woman about 217 mg, according to the American Heart Association. You should limit your intake of dietary cholesterol to 300 mg per day if you are healthy. People with heart disease should consume less than 200 mg of cholesterol daily.
Blood Cholesterol
Your body makes most of the cholesterol the body contains. You do not have to consume cholesterol for your body to function properly, but typically about 25 percent of the cholesterol in your body comes from the food you eat. A low total cholesterol count, 200 mg/dL or less, represents the least risk for developing heart disease. Elevated cholesterol, over 240 mg/dL, is associated with high risk for cardiovascular disease.
Causes
A diet high in saturated fat, trans fats and dietary cholesterol raises the amount of cholesterol in the blood. Foods that come from animals, like meat, eggs and dairy, are sources of saturated fats. Cholesterol comes only from animal products. Trans fats are present in many commercially baked products, like cakes and cookies.
Treatment
You can reduce cholesterol levels with a low-fat, low-cholesterol diet. Regular exercise raises "good cholesterol," which is linked to reducing the risk for heart disease. Losing weight can reduce your cholesterol count, as can smoking cessation and limiting alcohol consumption. Foods high in fiber promote heart health. A common recommendation is to eat fish once or twice a week. Doctors often prescribe medicine like niacin and statins to control cholesterol when patients do not respond to diet and lifestyle changes.
LDL Cholesterol
Cholesterol is a fat-like substance that does not dissolve well into watery blood plasma because fat and water don't mix. Cholesterol attaches itself to special lipoproteins already in the bloodstream, which then deliver cholesterol to the awaiting body cells. Low-density lipoprotein, or LDL, is bad cholesterol most closely associated with heart disease. Low LDL is better than high LDL. Your LDL should be below 100 mg/dL to lower your risk for cardiovascular disease.
HDL Cholesterol
HDL, or high-density lipoprotein, scrapes excess cholesterol off arterial walls, thusly reducing the risk for heart disease. Higher levels of HDL are recommended for optimal protection against cardiovascular problems. Your HDL should be 60 mg/dL or higher for maximum protection.
