Controlling cholesterol The amount of cholesterol in your bloodstream depends on the following three factors:

• Heredity: Some families have a tendency to high cholesterol levels. Know your family history of all major health problems and ask your doctor about adjusting your diet.

• Diet. Cutting out cholesterol is only part of the answer. Saturated fat also affects your cholesterol level; in fact, it's a worse offender. Keep your saturated fat intake under 10 percent of your calories each day, and you're on your way to lower cholesterol levels.

• Lifestyle: The more physical activity you get, the higher your good (HDL) cholesterol levels and the lower your bad (LDL) cholesterol levels are likely to be. Physical inactivity leads to high LDL cholesterol levels.

Children and cholesterol While you don't have to eliminate all high-fat, high-calorie foods, most doctors suggest that children older than age 2 cut back on fat and cholesterol. This helps reduce the risk of heart disease later in their lives. For children older than age 2, follow the adult dietary guidelines for fat and saturated fat. Keep cholesterol consumption to no more than 100 milligrams for every 1,000 calories they eat. Remember that this information is on all food labels.

It's important that you don't start your children on a low-fat diet until after they turn 2 years old. Dietary fat and cholesterol are essential for normal brain development in infants and toddlers.

Most adults eat too much sodium. And among those with a family history of heart disease, eating too much sodium can increase their risk of heart disease. All people older than age 2 should limit their daily salt consumption to 2,400 milligrams.

If you're like most people, you add salt to your cooking and at the table. Cutting back on salt is not as hard as it might seem. Simply do so gradually. Taste food before shaking on the salt. Choose low-sodium and sodium-free products such as tomato sauces and soups. Eventually you will find that you prefer the taste of foods without salt.

Yes, too much sugar can contribute to weight problems and cavities in both adults and children. But it is not the evil it was once thought to be. And while it may or may not cause excitability in some children, most children do not experience this side effect.

If children eat too much sugar, however, they are probably not eating enough healthy, nutrient-rich foods. Most high-sugar foods provide few nutrients; they are empty calories. And when children fill up on empty calories, they are too full to eat anything else. If you struggle with the question of how much sugar your children should eat, the answer is pretty simple. Don't let sugary foods ruin their appetites.

Additives are put into foods to help delay spoilage, enhance flavor, and improve appearance. There has been concern that some additives, such as nitrites (preservatives found in hot dogs, dried meats, and other foods), might cause cancer. Most experts agree, however, that the risk of cancer from food additives is small. A few people report that they get headaches, allergic reactions, or other symptoms from eating foods with certain additives, though in most cases the link between the additive and the reaction has not been scientifically proven. If you think you may be sensitive or allergic to a food additive, talk to your doctor.

Coffee, tea, cola drinks, chocolate, some pain relievers, and many over-the-counter energy aids all contain caffeine. Caffeine is a drug that stimulates the central nervous system, making you feel more energetic. As a diuretic, it increases the blood flow through your kidneys, which produce more urine. This is why cola drinks are not recommended for quenching thirst.

The average cup of coffee offers about 100 milligrams of caffeine. Tea and cocoa have much less, and most caffeinated cola drinks even less. Large doses of caffeine—1,000 milligrams or more—can cause restlessness, sleeplessness, palpitations, and diarrhea. There is not a lot of evidence that caffeine causes any major long-term health effects. Even so, it is a good idea to keep your average intake below three cups of coffee a day, especially if you experience any side effects. You can become dependent on caffeine.