Apparently, millions of Americans should be on the cholesterol-reducing drugs. In my opinion, this is scary. Don't get me wrong -- statins are a wonderful thing and have helped many, many people. But we are a very medicated society and the fact that the medical community feels the need to medicate the low-risk population is frightening. Especially when healthy living could solve many of the same problems.

image source People with high cholesterol aren't the only ones who should be paying attention to their numbers. Even if your cholesterol falls in healthy ranges, you should still be taking proactive measures to manage it:

Exercise regularly. Aerobic exercise increases your HDL cholesterol. HDL (high-density lipoprotein) is the "good" cholesterol because it helps carry the bad cholesterol out of your blood stream. Your HDL levels should be greater than 40 mg/dl.

Eat a heart-healthy diet. When you think heart healthy, you think low-sodium and low-fat -- that's correct, but when it comes to cholesterol, think more about the foods you should include than those you should exclude. Foods high in soluble fiber (such as oatmeal, kidney beans, and apples) are a good choice because they help reduce LDL (low-density lipoproteins, or "bad" cholesterol). Include monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats in your diet; these healthy fats can have a positive impact on your cholesterol; sources include almonds, walnuts, and olive oil. Fish, such as salmon, is high in omega-3 fatty acids which helps lower cholesterol while also reducing blood pressure. You can also look for foods that are fortified with plant sterols.

If your doctor recommends that you take statins to control your cholesterol, by all means, take them. Your heart health is nothing to toy with. But, there are plenty of lifestyle habits you can adopt to protect your cholesterol levels and benefit your heart health.