Cardiovascular disease. Stroke. It seems like every time we turn around something we are doing, not doing, eating or not eating, puts us at risk for either a stroke or heart attack. A high blood cholesterol level is one of those. What's interesting is that this is one of the threats to our health that we can do a lot, on our own, to change.

Diet and exercise. Change those, and you've lowered your risk for heart attack and stroke significantly. In fact, a doctor will suggest this prior to even prescribing something like a statin or other drug to lower cholesterol. 

Let's start with diet. The biggest culprit in raising your blood cholesteral is saturated fat. Foods high in saturated fats include all the best stuff: fatty cuts of meat and meat drippings, bacon and sausage, egg yolks and butter (there goes breakfast!), cream, milk, cheese, ice cream, cookies, cakes, muffins and pastries.

Okay, that's the depressing part. Let's get on to what we can eat.

 I know it doesn't seem like it, but there are still a lot of yummy things we can eat and keep our cholesterol level down. This list is by no means exhaustive, but merely a place to start.

1. Meats: Chicken and turkey without the skin and fish. Red meat is okay as long as you limit it to no more than 3 times a week and the portions are small.
2. Dairy Products: Skim milk, yogurt, frozen yogurt, fat-free sour cream, sherbet. Egg whites are ok and even 2 egg yolks a week is fine.
3. Fruits and Vegetables: pretty much all of them are on the ok list unless its canned and packed in heavy syrup. Coconut should be avoided
4. Breads, cereals, etc: Whole grain breads, crackers, and cereals pasta, rice, English muffins, bagels, pita, oatmeal, rye, pumpernickel.
5. Snacks: Angel food cake, sorbet, jello, graham and animal crackers, fig bars, fruit juices, cocoa powder, popcorn, and pretzels.

You can also lower your saturfated fat intake, and thus your cholesterol level, by watching how you prepare your food. Baking, broiling, grilling, poaching and roasting your meals will go a long way in lowering your cholesterol. If you want to saute, that's fine as long as you use broth or wine or water. . .not butter. Steaming or roasting vegetables is a lot healthier than sauteeing them in a big blob of butter. . .even though they taste SO good that way!

When you do prepare meat, try to remove as much fat from it as you can, cook it at no higher than 350 degrees and then drain all the fat off it after browning. High heat tends to seal the fat inside.

If you like to eat frozen dinners or entrees try to get the ones that are labeled low saturated fat or low cholesterol.