In fact, more than 70 percent of all Americans are aware that elevated cholesterol levels increase the risk of heart disease. Unfortunately, less than 50 percent of Americans have actually had their cholesterol levels tested, and less than 10 percent even know their cholesterol number. Your body produces all the cholesterol it needs. When you eat foods like meat and dairy products that are high in saturated fats, you introduce excess cholesterol to the blood. When too much cholesterol runs through your bloodstream, it can become trapped in the walls of your coronary arteries and continue to build up over time.
Most coronary disease is the result of blocked arteries.
When cholesterol clogs the artery that supplies blood to the heart, that part of the heart muscle does not get the nutrients and oxygen it needs, so it dies. Cut down on cholesterol-rich foods and saturated fats. Try to reduce the fat in your diet to 30 percent of the total calories you consume. Most Americans now obtain more than 40 percent of their calories from fat. A diet rich in vegetables, fruit, and cereal grains will help control your cholesterol level.