{xtypo_dropcap}E{/xtypo_dropcap}levated cholesterol is a common problem in the West. For this reason, it's a smart idea to have your cholesterol checked at least once every 5 years. A normal or "desirable" level for most people is less than 200 mg/dl. Borderline: 200-230 mg/dl. Borderline high with risk factors includes a family history of premature coronary artery disease; hypertension; cigarette smoking; low level of HDL; diabetes; history of stroke; or severe obesity. High cholesterol: 240 mg/dl or higher.

If you have high cholesterol, or if you are a man in the borderline with one of these risk factors, or a woman with two, your physician will probably put you on a stringent dietary regimen (high fiber, low dietary fat, etc.) or drug treatment, if necessary.

However, taking the right herbs and foods makes an important difference, too. There are literally hundreds of studies, to date, proving the substantial cholesterol-reducing benefits of soy protein. One source for inexpensive soy protein products which are shelf-stable and high in isoflavones is soybean.com, which has its own online store. In addition, note that Neem has moderate cholesterol-reducing benefits. (See the second page of our Neem Common Use Table.) We recommend the regular use of the vegecaps for this purpose.