Lowering Cholesterol

Question: If a person seriously sticks to a very low cholesterol diet, is there a guarantee that his cholesterol will go down?

Answer: Cholesterol enters the body by way of the foods we eat, so diet would certainly play some role in determining our blood cholesterol levels. However, cholesterol is also produced in the liver. The bottom line is that an individual’s cholesterol level results from a variety of factors, including heredity, obesity and the kinds of foods we eat, particularly foods high in saturated fat.

Neil Solomon is the author of “Sick & Tired of Being Sick & Tired,” Wynwood Press. If you have a medical question, write to Dr. Solomon, P.O. Box 36184, Baltimore, Md. 21285-6184. Solomon cannot give personal replies but will answer as many questions as possible in his column.