September is National Cholesterol Education Awareness Month. More than half of the adult population has blood cholesterol levels higher than the desirable range. In general, you want your total cholesterol to be less than 200 mg/dL, because that level carries the least risk of heart disease.
Follow these recommendations to lower your cholesterol level:
Limit total fat intake to 25 to 35 percent of total daily calories. Less than 7 percent of daily calories should be from saturated fat, not more than 10 percent should be from polyunsaturated fat, and not more than 20 percent from monounsaturated fat.
Eat less than 200 mg of dietary cholesterol per day.
Get more fiber in your diet.
Lose weight.
Increase physical activity.
You have a greater risk of developing heart disease or atherosclerosis as your level of blood cholesterol increases. Have your cholesterol levels measured every five years - or more often if you're a man over 45 or a woman over 55.
Talk to your physician about what your individual cholesterol levels mean.
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