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Understanding Cholesterol Problems -- Prevention

How Can I Prevent Cholesterol Problems?

As with many other health problems, prevention is the best medicine. You can help prevent high cholesterol and reduce your risk of heart disease by:

Keeping your weight in check.
Eating no more than 300 mg of cholesterol each day.
Getting no more than 20%-35% of your daily calories from fat.
Exercising three to four times a week (vigorously if you can, but moderate exercise is better than none at all).
Quitting smoking.
Tracking your progress. Have your blood cholesterol level tested periodically by your doctor or a reputable lab. At-home test kits, like many consumer health devices, are generally unreliable.

Cholesterol Screening

Regular cholesterol screenings are recommended for men and women over the age of 20 every five years. This is done by drawing a blood sample. Regular screenings are particularly important for people with diabetes, obesity, or a family history of heart disease. They may need to be screened more frequently.

A Diet for Lower Cholesterol

People who have a genetic predisposition to cholesterol problems should follow their doctor's dietary recommendations. The rest of us should be able to keep cholesterol levels in check by not consuming more than 20%-35% of our daily calories from fat.

If you know your foods well, you can distinguish friend from foe. Here are some tips for keeping cholesterol low.

Cut back on high-fat red meat because of its high saturated fat and cholesterol content. When you do indulge, eat only lean meats with very little visible fat. Your store's butcher may be able to help you select lower-fat cuts of different meats. Examples of lean beef include London broil, eye of round, and filet mignon.
Remove the skin on poultry; chicken has less saturated fat than red meat but still contains cholesterol.
Increase your consumption of seafood. Most fish contains less fat and cholesterol than most meat. Most shellfish are also low in fat, although some are high in cholesterol. The American Heart Association (AHA) recommends eating two servings of fatty fish each week for heart health.
Whenever possible, go easy on whole-fat dairy products, mayonnaise, chocolate, tropical oils, and hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated oils or fats such as stick margarine. These products are usually high in saturated fats, which can raise your cholesterol level.
For cooking, replace saturated fats that are solid at room temperature (such as butter and shortening) with liquid monounsaturated fats such as olive, canola, or flax oil. There is evidence that consuming moderate amounts of monounsaturated fat -- found in such foods as nuts, seeds, and avocados -- may actually lower LDL cholesterol. Avoid tropical oils such as palm and coconut. They contain no cholesterol but are high in saturated fat.
Limit the total amount of meat, fish, and poultry to 7 to 8 ounces or less each day. Limit yourself to three eggs a week if you have elevated cholesterol or heart disease, otherwise the AHA says an egg a day is OK for healthy adults. One egg yolk contains almost an entire day's allowance of cholesterol.
Foods rich in plant sterols can help lower cholesterol. Look for foods that contain heart-healthy plant sterols and aim for two servings a day. Plant sterols have been added to soft margarines, granola bars, yogurts, orange juice, and more.
Finally, select foods that contain water-soluble fiber, which offers an excellent defense against high blood cholesterol. High-fiber foods include grapefruit, apples, beans and other legumes, psyllium seed, barley, carrots, cabbage, and oatmeal.