The word is out on cholesterol. It's in the newspapers, magazines, radio and television. Doctors, medical researchers and dieticians talk about it. But do we really know what cholesterol is? We will give you the goods on cholesterol: what it is, what it does and how to avoid it.

First, let's talk about heart health. The good news is that for the most part, we can control the health of our heart vessels. If your genetics are such that unhealthy blood vessels run in the family, your cholesterol knowledge and determination to keep your LDL low can give those genes a run for their money.

Cholesterol: The Good, the Bad, the Ugly

Cholesterol is a soft, waxy substance found in the blood stream and in the body's cells. Essential for good health, cholesterol serves several functions, such as the formation of cell membranes and particular hormones. Our bodies can't survive without it. Not only do we get cholesterol through our foods, but the liver manufactures it from fat and sugar at a rate of 50,000,000,000,000,000 molecules per second! There are two types of cholesterol: low density cholesterol (LDL) and high density cholesterol (HDL).

LDL Cholesterol

When your doctor says to lower your cholesterol, LDL is the one to target. LDL is bad for the body because it has a tendency to end up in the blood vessels and coagulate in the arteries. Think of the muck that collects in pipes. The more muck, the less water that is able to pass through. When cholesterol attaches itself to the walls of the arteries and calcifies, it makes the passageways of the arteries hard and much smaller. This slows down blood flow and can cause clots to form.

HDL Cholesterol

HDL is the good cholesterol. Think of bad cholesterol and good cholesterol in terms of cops and robbers. Bad cholesterol robs the body of true wellness and good cholesterol removes the bad cholesterol from the walls of the blood vessels and arteries. Then the good cholesterol transports the bad cholesterol back to the liver so that it can be removed from the body through the process of excretion. A healthy person should have a balanced ratio of HDL and LDL.

It's important to understand that the cholesterol molecule isn't intrinsically good or bad. What determines whether cholesterol is good or bad isn't the molecule itself, but the type of protein particle that is transporting the cholesterol in the blood stream.

The Do’s and Don’ts on Cholesterol

Here's what you can do to help decrease your LDL's and increase your HDL's, keep your cholesterol levels balanced and your heart healthy.

1. Eat your colors. Even if your LDL is a little on the high side, there's at least one way to defuse its danger. Antioxidants, the food chemicals that help protect the body's cells from oxidation, aid the body in its fight against a slow destruction. Food sources known to fight what is called free radical damage actually limit the harm that LDL can do to our vessels. Vitamin E, vitamin C, beta carotene, garlic, red wine, red grape juice, soybean constituents and any fruit or vegetable are great antioxidant-rich foods. While many fruit juices have antioxidants in them, they don't contain fiber. If you have a choice between a fruit juice and a whole fruit, pick the whole fruit. Fruit and vegetable fiber is an important combatant against high LDL.

2. Reduce homocysteine. Homocysteine is a protein and it can be an enemy of good health at high levels. It encourages blood clotting, LDL oxidation and works against the benefits of high levels of good cholesterol. But have no fear. B vitamins (especially folic acid) help quell homocysteine. Good food sources of B vitamins are: leafy green veggies, orange juice, dried beans and fortified cereals. Multivitamin supplements with folic acid and B vitamins also help control homocysteine in most people.

3. Watch what you drink. Heavy drinkers of caffeinated coffee (nine cups a day) have up to 25 percent higher homocysteine levels. However, drinkers of caffeinated black tea can lower homocysteine levels, possibly because tea contains folic acid. Many researchers believe that this may help to explain why studies have linked heavy coffee consumption to increased heart problems and tea consumption to reduced heart problems.

4. Know your fats. Remember, not all fats are bad. The cardiovascular system's greatest nemesis is saturated fats or animal fats found in many meat and dairy products. These fats can raise bad cholesterol levels in the body and make the blood more sluggish and prone to clotting, which can constrict arteries so less blood and oxygen get to the heart and brain. Avoid fatty meats and stick to lean poultry and fish. Another artery enemy is trans fat, which is found in hard margarine and the hydrogenated oils in processed foods. It's best to stay away from saturated fats and trans fats and choose heart healthy fats like olive oil, canola oil, borage oil, avocado and fish oil.

5. Keep your mind and your arteries open. Scientists stress the importance of vascular function. Healthy vascular function allows blood to flow smoothly to the heart and brain. This is mostly accomplished by nitric oxide, a chemical released in the cells of blood vessel walls. You want to eat foods that stimulate the release of nitric oxide already present in the body. Studies have identified the best blood-vessel openers as red skinned peanuts, apple skin and pulp, tea (especially green tea), cinnamon, red wine and purple grape juice. The same chemicals in these foods also help reduce blood clotting and LDL oxidation. Also, fish oils and vitamin C help support healthy blood flow.

6. Eat or drink soy. Soy products are also linked to reduced cholesterol because of their isoflavone content. The FDA recently approved a health claim label for soy products containing soy protein. It states that daily consumption of as little as 25 grams daily will help maintain healthy cholesterol levels.

7. Don't forget your soluble fibers. Foods such as barley, high fiber raisins, whole wheat bread, sesame seeds, nuts and oats are super rich in soluble fibers. How do these work? They slow down the entrance of cholesterol into the body. When you have a choice between refined foods versus whole foods, the decision is easy ... choose the whole foods. Say "no" to white rice, white potatoes and semolina pasta.