Did you know that heart disease and stroke are among the leading causes of death in America? Since high cholesterol increases your risk of developing these conditions, many healthcare professionals are concerned that over half of all American adults now have cholesterol levels over 200 mg/DL. While heredity does influence cholesterol levels to some extent, there are still many steps you can take to lower your cholesterol.

Your diet can have a great impact in efforts to lower cholesterol. For example, oatmeal and oat bran contain high amounts of the soluble fiber shown to lower levels of the "bad" LDL cholesterol. Walnuts are rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids, which can lower cholesterol while keeping blood vessels healthy and elastic. Foods seasoned with garlic may encourage the formation of "good" HDL cholesterol. However, eating foods that are said to have the ability to lower cholesterol isn’t effective unless you reduce your consumption of saturated and trans fats. This can be accomplished by avoiding fried foods, grilling instead of pan frying your favorite dishes, and making your favorite recipes with egg substitutes instead of egg yolks.

If you are overweight, your doctor may recommend a weight loss plan to help lower cholesterol. When combined with a low calorie diet, regular exercise can help you drop excess pounds while lowering your cholesterol and boosting your energy levels. If you dislike team sports and you’re too embarrassed to join a gym, try going for regular walks or playing with your kids in the park. Increasing your level of physical activity throughout day by taking the stairs instead of the elevator or parking farther away from your destination can also be beneficial.

When lifestyle changes alone aren’t enough to lower your cholesterol, your physician may recommend that you begin taking a prescription drug classified as a statin. These drugs are a lifelong commitment, which is why they are used as a last resort to lower cholesterol levels. Common types of statins include atorvastatin (Lipitor), pravastatin (Pravachol), rosuvastatin (Crestor), simvastatin (Zocor), and lovastatin (Mevacor). Statins are generally well tolerated, although the drugs can cause liver damage and muscle problems in rare cases.

If you want to monitor your cholesterol levels on a regular basis, you may be tempted to purchase a home cholesterol testing kit. Although these kits are fairly accurate, they only measure total cholesterol and fail to give measurements of HDL, LDL, and triglyceride levels. Therefore, regular visits with your physician are the best way to take control of your condition.