Heart disease is the leading cause of death in United States. But this does not have to be the case, if you know how to manage your cholesterol levels.

Cholesterol is a vital compound to the well-functioning body since it provides stability to the cells. But too much of this compound can pose a threat to your body, which can lead to heart attack, stroke, and coronary artery disease. That is why you have to reduce your risk by making cholesterol management a part of your lifestyle change.

There are two types of cholesterol: the HDL, or High-Density Lipoproteins, and the LDL, or Low-Density Lipoproteins. The HDL is the so-called good cholesterol because it prevents the harmful build-up of bad cholesterol, which is the LDL. LDL is considered harmful because it accumulates in the walls of arteries and forms plaque that clogs them. One way to manage your cholesterol level is to reduce your LDL cholesterol and increase your HDL cholesterol.

A low-cholesterol diet and regular exercise are the best ways to manage your cholesterol level. A low-cholesterol diet should include foods such as whole grains and high-fiber cereals, nuts, lean meats, fish and shellfish, skinless poultry, fresh fruits, and green vegetables. Meanwhile, you should avoid eating foods that are rich in saturated fat and trans-fatty acids such as egg yolks, poultry, whole milk dairy products, and processed foods.

Your low-cholesterol diet can lower your cholesterol and greatly reduce your risk for heart disease. But this should be combined with regular exercise, especially if you are overweight. Regular exercise can make you feel good and improve the health of your heart. However, this does not have to be rigid exercise; just 30 minutes on most days of the week can significantly improve your well-being.

Cholesterol management is easy if you have the self-discipline to maintain a healthy cholesterol level. This may be difficult to do at first, especially if you are used to a high-saturated fat diet and very minimal physical activity each day. But you will get used to it once you focus on reducing the bad cholesterol in your body.