Cholesterol is a waxy substance made by your liver, and it can also be found in your diet. Although cholesterol has many important roles in your body, including the manufacturing of steroid hormones, bile salts and cell membranes, too much cholesterol in your blood can be bad for your health.
Cholesterol Testing
The National Heart Lung and Blood Institute recommends that all adults over the age of 20 get their cholesterol levels checked every five years. Ideally, your total cholesterol levels will be below 200 mg per dL of blood and your LDL cholesterol, also known as the "bad" cholesterol, should be below 100 mg per dL. On the other hand, your "good" or HDL cholesterol levels should be above 60 mg per dL for optimum heart health. If your total cholesterol or LDL levels are high or your HDL levels are low, you may need to take steps to improve your cholesterol levels.
Lifestyle
One way that you can improve your cholesterol profile is to make some changes to your diet. First of all, you should limit fat to 30 percent or less of your calories, the Patient Education Institute explains. You should also limit saturated fat to between 8 and 10 percent of your calories. Limiting your sodium and cholesterol intake to less than 1,500 and 300 mg per day, respectively. Getting more physical exercise will also improve your cholesterol levels.
Foods to Lower Cholesterol
As the Mayo Clinic notes, some foods can help you lower your cholesterol levels. Soluble fiber, which can be found in fruit, vegetables and oat bran, among other foods, interferes with intestinal absorption of cholesterol from your diet. Omega-3 fatty acids, which can be found in fatty fish, fish oil supplements and flax seed oil can also reduce your risk of developing cardiovascular problems. Plant sterols and stanols, which can be found in some forms of tub margarine and orange juice, are also able to block cholesterol absorption.
Medications
You can also control your cholesterol levels by taking medications. One of the most commonly prescribed medications for poor cholesterol levels are statins, which reduce the amount of cholesterol your liver produces. Cholesterol absorption inhibitors and bile acid binding resins can also be used to reduce the amount of cholesterol absorbed from your diet, the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality reports. Other medications include fibrates and niacin. Some people will need to take a combination of these medications to control their cholesterol.
