Many Americans have high cholesterol levels, which increase the risk of dying from heart disease, the number one cause of death in the United States. With high cholesterol, both total cholesterol levels and the levels of low density lipoprotein, or LDL cholesterol, are higher than recommended by doctors. Lowering your total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol can have a number of health benefits. However, you don't want to lower your high density lipoprotein, or HDL levels, as this is the type of cholesterol considered "good" cholesterol.
Benefits of Lower Cholesterol
Lowering your cholesterol through diet, exercise, medication and other lifestyle changes is one way you can change your risk for heart disease. Lowering your cholesterol levels may lower your risk for heart attacks, stroke, death from heart disease and the need for angioplasty or bypass surgery, according to the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute.
Ways to Lower Cholesterol
Following the Therapeutic Lifestyle Change, or TLC program of the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute can help you to lower your LDL and total cholesterol. This program includes changing your diet, losing weight if you are overweight and exercising for 30 minutes per day. You may also need to take a cholesterol lowering medication. Dietary changes include reducing saturated fats to less than 7 percent of calories, consuming no more than 200 mg of cholesterol per day, consuming 5 g to 10 g of soluble fiber per day and 2 g per day of plant sterols and stanols.
Foods to Lower Cholesterol
Certain foods are particularly good for lowering cholesterol, including fatty fish, nuts, oatmeal and other foods high in soluble fiber, olive oil and foods fortified with plant sterols and stanols, according to the Mayo Clinic. However, adding these foods to your diet is only effective if you also make other dietary and lifestyle changes such as those recommended in the TLC program. You can't eat an unhealthy diet full of saturated fat and expect to get lower cholesterol from eating a small amount of these foods.
Recommendations
Your recommended LDL cholesterol depends on your risk level for heart disease. Smoking, low levels of HDL cholesterol, high blood pressure, a family history of heart disease and being a man over 45 or a woman over 55 increases your heart disease risk. If you are not at high risk for heart disease, you should aim to have an LDL level of 160 mg/dL or lower, while those at highest risk for heart disease should aim to get their LDL levels below 100 mg/dL.
