Too much cholesterol in the blood can lead to heart disease and stroke, America’s No. 1 and No. 3 killers, according to the American Heart Association. Even though there’s much you can do to lower your cholesterol levels and protect yourself, half of American adults still have levels that are too high (over 200 mg/dL).

According to the AHA, you can reduce cholesterol in your blood by eating healthful foods, losing weight if you need to and exercising. You might also need to take medicine in case changing your diet isn’t enough.

The AHA says most heart and blood vessel disease is caused by a buildup of cholesterol, plaque and other fatty deposits in artery walls. The arteries that feed the heart can become so clogged that the blood flow is reduced, causing chest pain. If a blood clot forms and blocks the artery, a heart attack can occur. Similarly, if a blood clot blocks an artery leading to or in the brain, a stroke results.

When planning your diet, focus on low-saturated-fat, low-cholesterol foods such as:

* Fruits and vegetables (five or more servings per day)
* Grain products like bread, cereal, rice and pasta, including whole
* grains (choose 6 or more servings per day)
* Fat-free and low fat milk products (2 to 4 servings per day)
* Lean meats and poultry without skin (choose up to 6 total ounces per day)
* Fatty fish (enjoy at least 2 servings baked or grilled each week)
* Beans and peas
* Nuts and seeds in limited amounts
* Unsaturated vegetable oils like canola, corn, olive, safflower and soybean oils
* (But a limited amount of margarines and spreads made from them)

The AHA recommends limiting such foods as whole milk, cream and ice cream; butter, egg yolks and cheese; organ meats like liver and kidneys; high fat processed meats like sausage, bologna, salami and hot dogs; fatty meats that aren’t trimmed; duck and goose meat (raised for market); bakery goods made with egg yolks and saturated fats; saturated oils like coconut oil, palm oil and palm kernel oil; solid fats like shortening, partially hydrogenated margarine and lard; and of course, fried foods.

If you have any concerns or you feel you might have high cholesterol, talk to you doctor. If you’ve had heart disease or a stroke, members of your family also may be at higher risk. So it’s imperative that you and your family make changes now to lower the risk of problems down the line.

Educate yourself about the warning signs of a heart attack or stroke, so you will be prepared should any of these things happen to you or a family member.

Some heart attacks are sudden and intense, but most of them start slowly with mild pain or discomfort with one or more of these symptoms: chest discomfort, discomfort in other areas of the upper body, shortness of breath with or without chest discomfort, breaking out in a cold sweat, nausea or lightheadedness.

Warning signs of a stroke include these sudden symptoms: weakness or numbness of the face, arm or leg, especially on one side of the body; confusion, trouble speaking or understanding; trouble seeing in one or both eyes; trouble walking, dizziness, loss of balance or coordination; and a severe headache with no known cause

For more information, visit http://www.americanheart.org or http://www.strokeassociation.org