by Merri Sharp

Created on: March 01, 2007   Last Updated: April 18, 2007

High cholesterol is a major cause of heart disease and stroke - the leading cause of death in North America. That's the bad news. The good news is that there are SEVERAL things you can do to drastically reduce dangerous cholesterol levels in your bloodstream.

First, increase consumption of good cholesterol and reduce consumption of bad cholesterol. Bad cholesterol, called low-density lipoproteins or LDL, delivers a waxy substance - made up of saturated and trans fats to the bloodstream. This waxy substance can build up along arterial walls, blocking blood flow to and from the heart, causing heart attack or stroke. Good cholesterol, called high-density lipoproteins or HDL, improves heart health and reduces risk of stroke by removing the bad cholesterol from the bloodstream, (no joke!).

So, how can you tell the good from the bad? As a general rule, good cholesterol is derived from vegetables, nuts, and cold-water fish. Good cholesterol is also usually liquid at room temperature - and if it's liquid at room temperature, it's liquid in your blood, so it can't block blood flow!

Natural food sources of GOOD cholesterol, (high-density lipoproteins or HDL), include:
* Monounsaturated Fat - Avocado & Avocado Oil, Olives & Olive Oil, Corn & Canola Oil, and Almond/Cashew/Hazelnut/Peanut/Pistachio/Pecan Nuts & Nut Oils
* Polyunsaturated Fat - Cold Water Fish (Bluefish, Cod, Herring, Mackerel, Salmon, Sardines, Swordfish, Trout, Tuna) & Cold Water Fish Oils, Soybeans & Soy Milk & Soy Tofu, Flaxseeds & Flaxseed Oil, Walnut/Pine Nuts & Nut Oils, and Omega-3 Fatty Acids

Natural food sources of BAD cholesterol, (low-density lipoproteins or LDL), include:
* Saturated Fat - Animal Derived Oil & Fat, Full-Fat Dairy, Egg Yolks, Vegetable Shortening, Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil & Margarine, Coconut Milk, Palm Oil, and Palm Kernel Oil
* Trans Fat - Most Processed and Prepared Foods, Most Snack Food, Most Fast Food, and Hydrogenated or Partially Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil & Margarine

Second to good and bad cholesterol consumption, eating foods that are high in soluble fiber is another great way to keep your heart healthy. This type of fiber forms a paste/gel when it combines with water, and binds to fat before passing through the system. Soluble fiber is harder for the body to digest - which keeps your intestines and colon healthy, balances blood sugar and, most importantly, reduces bad cholesterol levels in the bloodstream.

Natural food sources of SOLUBLE FIBER include:
1. Oats, Oatmeal, and

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