Healthy Cholesterol Levels - Before you start eating your favorite, you might want to know whether you’re having too much cholesterol. Few years ago, many were not aware what cholesterol level is but with all the information everywhere people are becoming aware how their healthy cholesterol levels affect their lives. You have to remember that you are what you eat and what you eat has something to do with your cholesterol. What is cholesterol? How will you know if you have a healthy cholesterol level?
Cholesterol Is…
Cholesterol is a type of lipid needed in all the vital functions of the body. Every single one of our cells is surrounded by cholesterol and its job is to insulate our nerve fibers. By insulating the nerve fibers, the cholesterol ensures that the nerve signals are traveling properly which is extremely important. Cholesterol also produces hormones which are used to carry specific signals around the body.
Too much cholesterol in the body would increase your chances of heart disease. If you have a high cholesterol level, you should bring it down. Even though cholesterol is essential for our bodies to function properly, still it should be controlled properly.
What Is Your Cholesterol Level?
How do you know if your cholesterol levels are high? You have to consult your doctor let you know exactly what your cholesterol level is. Knowing your levels is not really enough to tell whether or not you have a risk of heart disease, you need to find out what your Lipoprotein levels is.
Lipoproteins are molecules which are especially designed to carry cholesterol around the body. They are important because they control exactly how much cholesterol is in your body. Now, there are two main types of Lipoproteins:
• High Density Lipoproteins
• Low Density Lipoproteins
The one which you really need to be aware of is Low Density Lipoproteins. A high level of Low Density Lipoproteins means that you have a bad cholesterol that here is too much of it to build up. High Density Lipoproteins means good cholesterol that they are used to carry cholesterol away from cells and to the liver.
The complicated thing about cholesterol is the right level you should belong. The doctor has the ability to tell you how low your cholesterol levels should be. The average person usually should have around 4.0mmol/l but if you have a low density lipoprotein count, then you should have around 2.0mmol/l. As mentioned, however, each person is different so you need to get your levels checked to see exactly what you should be aiming for.
Cholesterol is important and you should know what levels you have for you to know what you can do about it. More and more people are developing heart disease due to high levels of cholesterol so it is advisable to go to your doctors to know your cholesterol level.
There are many ways to improve your cholesterol level. Eat healthy food that can help lower your LDL cholesterol level. With a healthy diet, your body is protected from the damaging effect of cholesterol. You should quit smoking, lose weight and exercise to raise your HDL cholesterol level.
Following a healthy low fat diet can lower cholesterol levels. If healthy eating and exercising don’t work after about six months, consult your family doctor of the medicine to lower your cholesterol level.
Everyone age 16 or older should have his or her cholesterol measured at least once every five years. “It’s best to do a lipid profile, or cholesterol test, after a nine to 12 hour fast. You can schedule your test in the morning and simply wait until after the test to eat breakfast,” says Dr. Bergin.
A lipid profile will give you four important pieces of information:
• Total Cholesterol;
• LDL (bad) cholesterol – the main source of cholesterol build-up in the arteries;
• HDL (good) cholesterol – helps keep cholesterol from building up in the arteries;
• Triglycerides – another form of fat in your blood.
The following guidelines help health professionals evaluate your need for treatment and lifestyle changes to help reduce your cholesterol levels:
Total Cholesterol Level.
Less than 200 mg/dL is desirable;
200-239 mg/dL is borderline high;
240 mg/dL and above is high.
LDL Cholesterol Level.
Less than 100 mg/dL is optimal
100-129 mg/dL is near optimal
130-159 mg/dL is borderline high
160-189 mg/dL is high
190 and above is very high
Triglycerides.
Less than 100 is ideal
150-199 mg/dL is borderline high
200 mg/dL is high
There are a number of factors which influence your cholesterol level, including age and gender. As both women and men get older, their cholesterol levels rise. Women have lower cholesterol levels than men, generally, but their levels go up after menopause.
Heredity can also affect how much cholesterol your body makes. “There are also lifestyle factors that affect your cholesterol levels,” says Dr. Bergin. “We work with our patients on making lifestyle changes that improve their diet, weight, stress levels and exercise habits. Certain natural supplements have favorable effects on cholesterol levels as well.”
National University of Health Sciences’ clinic specializes in drug-free health care. “There are many new cholesterol lowering drugs on the market today, but patients should be cautious about seeking a magic bullet for high cholesterol,” says Dr. Bergin. “What many patients don’t know is that cholesterol medications only work well when accompanied by the same lifestyle changes that help improve diet, weight and exercise habits. Also, cholesterol is only one factor in a patient’s risk profile for heart disease. Natural interventions such as proper supplementation, diet, reducing stress and increasing physical activity can also address other risk factors for heart disease at the same time, such as high blood pressure, diabetes and obesity.”
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