If you've been given notice by your doctor that you possess an elevated cholesterol level you may want to consider rethinking your current eating habits and look into creating a low cholesterol diet. First and foremost, any diet must include healthy food, exercise and be something you can stick too.

A Low Cholesterol Diet - What Is It?

In a nutshell, any decent low cholesterol diet will include healthy foods and regular exercise (i.e. walking continues to be one of the best exercises).

There's a plethora of low cholesterol diets to choose from. Simply pick one to your liking and most importantly - stick to it. And don't worry, there's no need to go into withdrawals at the thought of giving up all the foods you love because that won't be necessary. You will however, need to eliminate foods that are high in saturated fats, because saturated fats are one of the leading contributing factors of elevated total cholesterol levels.

Try and eat according to the following general guidelines: Limit daily sodium intake to 2400 milligrams, get less than 7% of your daily calories from saturated fats, total daily calories from fat should be between 25% and 35% of daily calories, limit daily dietary cholesterol to less than 200 milligrams and don't overeat but rather consume just enough calories to achieve or maintain a healthy weight.

Because everyone is unique you need to find out what is best for you so go to your doctor to hear what you should do to lower your total cholesterol level. Another idea is to find a good nutritionist to help you put together a good low cholesterol diet.

Remember, there are plenty of good resources available that you can take full advantage of, but like any worthwhile endeavor it will take a little effort on your part to check them out. Also, don't forget to bounce ideas off friends and family because you should be able to lean on them through this whole process. One of them may have already gone through this whole process and can provide you with good advice, point you in the right direction and provide encouragement along the way.

Tip - For information on the best cholesterol options, check out the links below.