If you suspect that your cholesterol level is too high, you may be on your way to heart disease.

Today 37 million American adults have high blood cholesterol levels, and 105 million have cholesterol levels that are higher than desirable. However, with the help of lifestyle changes and possibly medications, you may be able to lower your high blood cholesterol.

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It's estimated that if there were a 10 percent reduction in high cholesterol levels throughout the U.S. population, the rate of heart disease would drop by 30 percent.

Cholesterol is not all bad. Actually cholesterol is an important component of cell membranes and is vital to the structure and function of all of your body's cells. Cholesterol also is a building block in the formation of certain types of hormones.

Here are the simple ways of lowering high cholesterol with diet:

Control total fat if you have high cholesterol. Limit all types of fat — saturated, polyunsaturated, trans fatty acids (trans fats) and monounsaturated — to no more than 30 percent of your total daily calories.

Limit dietary cholesterol. Your daily limit for dietary cholesterol is 300 milligrams, or less than 200 milligrams if you have heart disease. Limit or avoid concentrated sources such as organ meats, egg yolks and whole-milk products.

Eat foods with soluble fiber. As part of a low-fat diet, soluble fiber can help lower your high cholesterol level. Foods high in soluble fiber include oat bran, oatmeal, beans, peas, rice bran, barley, citrus fruits, strawberries and apple pulp.

Eat more fish.Cold water fish, such as salmon, mackerel and herring, contain high amounts of a unique type of polyunsaturated fat called omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3s may lower your level of high cholesterol.

Consider soy products to control your high cholesterol. Soy compounds called isoflavones act like human hormones that regulate cholesterol levels. Eating soy proteins can reduce high cholesterol.

Drink alcohol in moderation. The best advice is to drink in moderation if you have high cholesterol, if you drink at all. Limit alcohol to one drink daily if you're a woman or to no more than two drinks daily if you're a man.

Reduce sugar intake to control high cholesterol. This is a way of lowering triglyceride levels. Ideally, your triglyceride levels should be lower than 150 mg/dL.

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Source: Mayo Clinic Health Letter 

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