Lower Your Cholesterol

What are Cholesterol HDL LDL Levels?

When you think of cholesterol level, the usual thought is that it should be lower. However HDL and LDL levels are not the same thing. The higher the better is the usual case when it comes to HDL cholesterol levels. In fact your HDL levels are high density lipoproteins. Our bodies can never seem to have quite enough of them. Their role in our body is to carry cholesterol away from body tissues after LDL has carried it to them. Because LDL vastly outnumbers HDL by about 3 to 1, we're much better off if we can raise our HDL cholesterol levels.

There are several different ways that you will want to achieve this. On the list are the excessive smoking, alcohol, body weight, exercise and medications. Let's look at the actual numbers on this. You have to remember that the smallest changes in HDL levels are significant. It would be going to far to say it is exponential, but a 1 mg/dL increase in your HDL cholesterol levels means as much as a 2 to 4 percent reduction in risk of heart disease and cardiac problems in general.

Explaining The Numbers on HDL Cholesterol Levels

When we start thinking about HDL levels you need to remember that the numbers are different for men and women. In general, the average figure for HDL is approximately 40 mg/dL for what someone wants in HDL cholesterol levels. That is certainly the range that you have to think in terms of.

At this point we should go from risky HDL to average HDL to ideal HDL levels. The too-low danger flag about this goes out at 37 mg/dL for men and at 47 mg/dL for women. The normal range for men to have is about 40 to 50 mg/dL, and for women 50 to 60 mg/dL. The general target range for HDL cholesterol levels, but you have to remember that nothing is set in stone in this area, but it is about 60 mg/dL. A reasonable goal we can all set is and should be to increase HDL cholesterol levels by 10 mg/dL from whatever it is now.

As you can see there is a vast difference between your cholesterol HDL LDL levels. It is wise for you not to confuse the two of them. Common sense would be for you understand that HDL levels work in the exact opposite manner that cholesterol does, however your HDL levels is akin to monitoring your cholesterol in that they both play a huge role in your overall health. It amazes me how much people get so involved in their cholesterol levels that they forget about everything else. You can keep your HDL levels in regulation height by simply eating a balanced and nutritious combination of whole foods.

What Does Cholesterol Treatment Involve?

Cholesterol treatment is designed to lower the levels of bad cholesterol and thus help to prevent atherosclerosis and ensuing heart attacks. Before any cholesterol treatment is prescribed your doctor will most likely request a few tests to ascertain exactly what the levels of cholesterol in your blood. Your doctor will also look into your medical history to judge the intensity of risk involved.

Importance of Risk Factors

If you have a history of heart attack in the family, you smoke, you have already developed high blood pressure, diabetes and/or have a history of atherosclerosis or heart disease, the recommended cholesterol treatment will be chosen accordingly. However, if the risk factors (as described above) are low the doctor will most likely prescribe a drug free therapy which will consist mostly of changes in diet and life style.

However, if one or more high risk symptoms are found to be present, and the levels of cholesterol (LDL in particular) are high too, then the doctor will start you on medication, depending upon the stage of the disease.

It is common knowledge that bad cholesterol or LDL cholesterol is instrumental in causing atherosclerosis. This disease is the first step towards heart attack and eventually death. Atherosclerosis is a progressive disease which can start extremely early in life. Since it does not have any particular symptoms, it will progress silently and manifest itself through heart pain (angina) and heart attacks.

The cholesterol treatment the doctor prescribes will aim to reverse this trend. While medicines are found to be efficient, some studies show that they are not enough. People who develop atherosclerosis are still at risk from heart attacks even with the most appropriate regime of diet, exercise and lifestyle. What seems to help is to increase the levels of HDL cholesterol (good cholesterol).

HDL cholesterol removes and cleans the arteries of the plaque formed by fat and other debris accumulation thereby returning the cardiovascular system to its healthy form. This cholesterol treatment is what really helps in the end. Unless the arteries are “cleaned”, the risk of heart attack can still exists despite the bad cholesterol being brought under control.

In order to be informed about risk from an early stage, when it is easier to reverse the atherosclerosis, you need to take a cholesterol test at least once every three years. You should also be careful about what type of fat you consume and reduce saturated fats to the minimum.

A Common Cause of Heart Attacks is High LDL CholesterolLDL cholesterol (or the bad cholesterol) is known to be one of the main causes for heart disease leading to heart attack. This is because LDL cholesterol coats the inside of the arteries with fat narrowing them by building up debris on the inside which causes atherosclerosis. So you'd think that knowing how to lower LDL cholesterol and taking action upon your findings would improve the situation but this is not the case. Even people who have normal levels of LDL cholesterol or just a little high LDL levels can be at risk of developing atherosclerosis and heart attacks.

LDL Cholesterol – The Silent Killer

Knowing how to lower LDL cholesterol is no guarantee that this will prevent atherosclerosis and/or heart attack. There have been many times where the patient in question took the right medication, followed the right diet and exercise regime very seriously and was able to lower and keep their LDL cholesterol at the lowest possible levels. However, the same person still developed progressive atherosclerosis and still experienced mild heart attacks.

This happens even in ideal conditions, i.e. even when the patient does not indulge in unhealthy habits such as smoking, or heavy drinking of alcohol, etc. So, if at all possible it is better not to develop high LDL cholesterol levels in the first place.

Although it looks like knowing how to lowering LDL cholesterol will solve the problem, once the thickening of the arteries sets in this is not enough. It needs something that de-activates the atherosclerosis process to lower the risk of heart attack. This is possible only with the increasing of HDL cholesterol.

HDL cholesterol or good cholesterol is known to remove the debris of fat that has settled on the inside walls of the arteries, thus cleaning the pathway and enabling free flow of blood. The fat and other particles that the HDL cholesterol picks up from the clogged arteries are then sent to the liver which breaks them down and expels them out of the system.

Hence, in order avoid the dangers of heart disease and impeding heart attack it is necessary to avoid the formation of bad cholesterol in the first place. Secondly, it always pays to have increased levels of HLD cholesterol or the good cholesterol because of its ability to clear the arteries of the debris and hence keeping the cardio-vascular system safe and sound.

The studies that have been done till date have clearly indicated that increased LDL cholesterol can be fatally dangerous. The only way to combat the ensuing heart disease is to keep the bad cholesterol levels at the lowest possible in the blood and actively increase the formation of good cholesterol. Knowing how to lower LDL cholesterol levels is a help but it is not sufficient to improve your changes of avoiding heart problems.

What is a Good Cholesterol Level?

There are a number of reasons why it is important to understand what is considered to be a cholesterol level. One of the primary reasons is because having a high cholesterol level can make you more prone to dangers such as heart attacks and strokes. Although obesity is one of the most obvious symptoms or reasons for high cholesterol, just because you are not overweight does not mean that your cholesterol level is good.

Good Cholesterol Level Numbers

There are many things you need to take into consideration when you are trying to learn about and understand your cholesterol level. For example, did you know that there are both good and bad types of cholesterol? There is HDL cholesterol which is considered as being the good type of cholesterol and then there is LDL cholesterol which is considered as being the bad form of cholesterol.

Basically your cholesterol level will put into one of three categories, desirable, borderline risk or high risk. If your total cholesterol is less than 200mg/dL you are considered as being in the desirable category and your risk of heart attack is relatively low assuming all other risk factors are low.

If your cholesterol is in between 200 and 239mg/dL you are considered to be in the borderline risk category and about a third of all people end up in this category. If that applies to you you should have your cholesterol checked at least once a year especially if your HDL is less than 40mg/dL and/or you don’t have other risk factors for heart disease.

Finally, if your cholesterol level is 240mg/dL or more you are considered as being in the high risk category and your risk of heart attack and stroke is incredibly heightened. Also, you will have twice the risk of other coronary problems and so you must take action to return your body to a good cholesterol level immediately.

Basically the key point to remember is that the lower your LDL cholesterol, the lower your total cholesterol level will be. And since LDL is good cholesterol you should take all the measures you can in order to keep it as low as you can. If you find that you are not able to lower your cholesterol with self help measures, medications may be prescribed in order to return you to a good cholesterol level.

What is Your Cholesterol Ratio?

You have probably heard your doctor or a family member mentioned the importance of your cholesterol ratio at least once. But maybe yet did not make the effort to find out what it is and why should you maintain its levels. This article will put that right.

What is Cholesterol?

Cholesterol is something which is normally present in our cells and blood stream. It is an important part of our body system which helps to produce cell membranes and various types of hormones. However, there are two types of cholesterol and they are termed good cholesterol (HDL) and bad cholesterol (LDL). While the good is essential for our body the bad can cause fatal heart stokes by clogging the arteries.

The only way to find out your cholesterol ratio levels is to conduct a blood test. The normal levels of cholesterol are of a maximum 200mg/dL of LDL or less and a minimum of 40mg/dL or more of HDL.

Some doctors calculate the cholesterol ratio in order to make it easier for the patients to understand the cholesterol level.

How to Calculate the Cholesterol Ratio

In order to obtain your cholesterol ratio you first need to obtain the total cholesterol levels and then divide the HDL cholesterol level by the total cholesterol. Personally I always found it easier to calculate the HDL and LDL separately as well as monitor them in that fashion without working with the cholesterol ratio. However many find it easier to calculate and work with their cholesterol when they are aware of their cholesterol ratio.

Managing Your Cholesterol Levels

Besides the large amount of drugs available on the market for lowering and controlling cholesterol levels you can also play a big role by monitoring your food intake closely. Items that contain cholesterol and trans or saturated fats should be avoided. You can be helped with this by reading labels carefully before you purchase.

Exercising and eating healthily goes a long way towards staying fit and well and everyday practice will bring you a better and longer life. Also regular visits to your doctor will help you keep informed of your cholesterol levels as well as enable you to act before it becomes an emergency situation.

Cholesterol is not calculated by your weight. You can be slim and yet have high levels of cholesterol. Therefore watching the ingredients in your food becomes doubly important to maintaining a good cholesterol ratio since putting on weight is not a sufficient sign that you are at risk. Educate your self and lead a richer, healthier life.

A Common Cause of Heart Attacks is High LDL Cholesterol

LDL cholesterol (or the bad cholesterol) is known to be one of the main causes for heart disease leading to heart attack. This is because LDL cholesterol coats the inside of the arteries with fat narrowing them by building up debris on the inside which causes atherosclerosis. So you'd think that knowing how to lower LDL cholesterol and taking action upon your findings would improve the situation but this is not the case. Even people who have normal levels of LDL cholesterol or just a little high LDL levels can be at risk of developing atherosclerosis and heart attacks.

LDL Cholesterol ~ The Silent Killer

Knowing how to lower LDL cholesterol is no guarantee that this will prevent atherosclerosis and/or heart attack. There have been many times where the patient in question took the right medication, followed the right diet and exercise regime very seriously and was able to lower and keep their LDL cholesterol at the lowest possible levels. However, the same person still developed progressive atherosclerosis and still experienced mild heart attacks.

This happens even in ideal conditions, i.e. even when the patient does not indulge in unhealthy habits such as smoking, or heavy drinking of alcohol, etc. So, if at all possible it is better not to develop high LDL cholesterol levels in the first place.

Although it looks like knowing how to lowering LDL cholesterol will solve the problem, once the thickening of the arteries sets in this is not enough. It needs something that de-activates the atherosclerosis process to lower the risk of heart attack. This is possible only with the increasing of HDL cholesterol.

HDL cholesterol or good cholesterol is known to remove the debris of fat that has settled on the inside walls of the arteries, thus cleaning the pathway and enabling free flow of blood. The fat and other particles that the HDL cholesterol picks up from the clogged arteries are then sent to the liver which breaks them down and expels them out of the system.

Hence, in order avoid the dangers of heart disease and impeding heart attack it is necessary to avoid the formation of bad cholesterol in the first place. Secondly, it always pays to have increased levels of HLD cholesterol or the good cholesterol because of its ability to clear the arteries of the debris and hence keeping the cardio-vascular system safe and sound.

The studies that have been done till date have clearly indicated that increased LDL cholesterol can be fatally dangerous. The only way to combat the ensuing heart disease is to keep the bad cholesterol levels at the lowest possible in the blood and actively increase the formation of good cholesterol. Knowing how to lower LDL cholesterol levels is a help but it is not sufficent to improve your changes of avoiding heart problems.