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High cholesterol is one of the leading precursors to heart disease. And, research has shown that our diet and lifestyle, combined with our genetics determines whether we have healthy or unhealthy cholesterol levels. To keep your cholesterol levels in check and prevent heart disease, there are several measures you can take.

The first is diet. Cholesterol in food comes from animal products. Meat, eggs and dairy products are all culprits. Reduce the amount of red meat you consume, replacing it with fish or chicken. Use low fat dairy products and reduce the number of egg yolks you eat, or use egg substitutes. Increase the amount of fresh fruits and vegetables in your diet and eat whole grains rather than refined products like white flour.

The second is exercise. Be certain to get at least 30 minutes of exercise most days of the week. This will help you shed pounds if you need to, and will also help lower your serum cholesterol. Walking is a very good way to help get your daily dose of exercise.

In addition to making lifestyle and diet changes, many people take supplements to help control their weight and cholesterol levels. There are many supplements available, but one of the best is something you likely have in your cupboard right now. It's tea ' particularly green tea.

Asian cultures have consumed green tea in large quantities for centuries. And, throughout history they have had fewer problems with obesity and lower incidences of heart disease and many forms of cancer. Scientists are beginning to find a link between this high green tea consumption and better health. Much research has been performed on the ability of green tea to slow down the aging process and prevent illness.

The magic potion in tea seems to be its anti-oxidants. Anti-oxidants, which are also found in fruits and vegetables, wine, cocoa and coffee, fight our bodies' free radicals. Free radicals are created as a by product of our digestive process. Free radicals, left unchecked, damage our cells and DNA, leading to aging and disease.

But, anti-oxidants combat anti-oxidants before they can hurt our bodies. This is why it's so important to have anti-oxidants as part of your every day diet. Meat">All tea contains anti-oxidants, but green tea retains more of its anti-oxidants in their original, natural state because it goes through less processing than other types of tea.

In particular, green tea's anti-oxidants have been shown to be effective at reducing cholesterol levels and helping with weight loss. Tea prevents the oxidation of LDL cholesterol into plaque, the hard substance that clogs our arteries, making us more susceptible to heart attacks and strokes.

Studies have suggested that even if your LDL cholesterol level is high, drinking tea may prevent it from causing a problem. Tea is also thought to have an anti-inflammatory effect, which helps the heart in its overall function.

In addition, green tea seems to have the ability to help patients lose weight. For overweight patients, losing weight usually means an automatic reduction in cholesterol levels. So, tea has a two fold effect for overweight patients with high cholesterol!

In terms of weight loss, it appears that the combination of the anti-oxidants in green tea and the caffeine speeds up the metabolism and promotes the oxidation of fat. Both of these attributes contribute to weight loss.

In recent years, there have been several studies on green tea's ability to speed weight loss. One of the most interesting studies was conducted by Osaka University in Japan.

This study evaluated 98 men and 97 women, between the ages of 22 and 65. All subjects were healthy, though some were moderately overweight. The participants were divided into 3 groups. The first group received a placebo drink, the second group a green tea drink with a low dose of tea catechins (anti-oxidants) and the third group a green tea drink with a high dose of tea catechins.

The study was conducted over a 12 week period, during which time participants consumed their study beverage three times a day (at meals). At the end of the twelve week period, participants who received the green tea beverages had lost weight and reduced their body fat and BMI, unlike the group who consumed the placebo drink. The group with the higher dosage of tea catechins reported more success than the low dose group.

This study concludes the way countless others have in recent years: with the suggestion, at least, that drinking green tea can help you lose weight. And, losing weight can help you lower your cholesterol. In addition, other studies have shown that green tea may help lower cholesterol levels even in subjects who did not lose weight.

So, drinking green tea may provide double the results for those patients seeking to lose weight and lower cholesterol levels. Adding green tea to your diet, along with making dietary changes and getting the recommended amount of exercise each week may be all you need to get your cholesterol and your weight under control.