Correct Peace of Information About the the Hdl Cholesterol (the Right One) and the Ldl Cholesterol (the Wrong One)

Cholesterol is insoluble in the vasculary system, however is transported in the circulatory system is subordinated to one of the kinds of lipoprotein, spherical particles which have an exterior constituted mainly of water-soluble proteins.

Cholesterol

Cholesterol is also found in the blood circulation of humans. CholesterolDr Trisha MacnairCholesterol is fondamental for our bodies to run properly, so why are there so many health warnings about high cholesterol levels. Cholesterol information: high cholesterol, lowering cholesterol levels, and cholesterol treatment guidelines on MedicineNet.

Hdl

HDL are the smallest of the lipoproteins. HDL takes along cholesterol from other parts of your body back to your liver.

Ldl

LDL cholesterol is called “bad” cholesterol, because big levels of LDL cholesterol are accompanied by an increased risk of coronary heart disease.

Diet

Dietary cholesterol comes especially from meat, poultry, fish, and dairy farm products. Dietary cure stays here the first line of treatment, with drug therapy reserved for use in patients at high risk for CHD or patients who do not respond to nonpharmacologic therapy.

Lipoprotein

Lipoproteins are classified as high density, low density, or very low density, depending on how much protein there is in relation to fat.

Weight

Weight surplus leans to iaccrue blood cholesterol levels. Weight loss also betters insulin sensitivity and serum glucose uptake, reducing the risk of diabetes.

Exercise

Periodic physical activity may not only lower LDL cholesterol, but it may increase levels of desirable HDL. Exercise at least 2 to 4 times a week for 20 to 40 minutes per exercise session.

Foods

Foods of vegetable source (vegetables, fruits, grains, cereals, nuts, and seeds) contain no cholesterol. Foods with added plant sterols or stanols should be eaten as part of a balanced diet.

Saturated

Saturated fats are derived primarily from meat and creamery product and can raise blood cholesterol levels. Saturated and trans-unsaturated fatty acids should be avoided.

Cholesterol is claimed to construct and conserve cell membranes; it normalises membrane circulation over a wide varieties of temperatures. Cholesterol is essential for the constitution and function of invaginated caveolae and clathrin-coated pits, including the caveolae-dependent endocytosis and clathrin-dependent endocytosis. Cholesterol is claimed in the membrane of mammalian cells for normal cellular function, and is either synthesized in the endoplasmic reticulum, or derived from the diet, in which case it is delivered by the bloodstream in low-density lipoproteins.

How High Should Your Cholesterol Levels Be?

A 2007 report from the Women’s Health Study showed that high levels of cholesterol, even in healthy women, was a risk factor that increased a woman’s chances of having a stroke. Other studies have shown a link between high levels of cholesterol and Alzheimer’s disease. And the media has been warning us for years to cut down our intake of cholesterol because high cholesterol leads to hardening of the arteries. But what is cholesterol and why is it even it our bodies?

Cholesterol is a soft, waxy, fat-like substance that is made by the body. It is in all of your cells and can be found in all parts of the body including your skin, blood vessels, muscles, and so on. Since your body actively creates cholesterol, we can assume that having cholesterol in your body is not necessarily bad. In fact, you couldn’t eliminate all the cholesterol in your body if you tried.

Cholesterol is important for the body. The cells use cholesterol as a building block in creating its protective membrane. Studies have indicated that “good” HDL cholesterol protects against heart disease and stroke even if “bad” LDL cholesterol levels are high. Good cholesterol helps to prevent dangerous breakaway blood clots – which can be caused by sitting in a cramped position for too long. Cholesterol also helps to manufacture vitamin D in the body from the sun. And there is much more good that cholesterol does for the body.

There is also a second source of cholesterol. Dietary cholesterol comes form the foods that we eat. It can be only be found in animal foods and eating it raises the bad cholesterol level in your own body. There have been many studies over the years that correlate a high intake of dietary cholesterol to coronary heart disease. In other words, the more high cholesterol foods we eat, the greater our chance of developing heart disease or a stroke.

High density lipoprotein (HDL), the good cholesterol, is a form of cholesterol that circulates in the bloodstream. One of its jobs is to remove excess cholesterol from the body’s tissues and transport it to the liver where it will be excreted from the body. This process of “taking out the garbage” or cleansing the bloodstream is why HDL is a called good cholesterol and also why it’s good for your body to have a relatively high HDL level. Some researchers say that an HDL of 60 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dl) or greater is good and will protect you against hardening of the arteries and lower your risk of getting heart disease.

Conversely, a low level of HDL, such as less then 40 mg/dl, has a negative effect. Many studies indicate that a low level of HDL combined with a high level of LDL seems to be a precursor of heart disease

You can control your cholesterol. The total amount of cholesterol in your body at any point in time is a function of how fast your HDL and liver can cleanse your system of it’s existing cholesterol combined with the amount of dietary cholesterol that you’ve eaten during recent hours.

Controlling the amount of cholesterol that you allow into your body is a huge part of your lifestyle that you can modify to decrease your chances of heart disease or stroke. According to the American Heart Association, if you eat less then 300 milligrams of cholesterol a day, you can significantly reduce your cholesterol levels. By paying greater attention to the foods you eat, you can help to assure yourself of a long and healthy life.

Cholesterol Levels and Ratios – Are Your Cholesterol Numbers Confusing You?

Cholesterol levels are being tested all over the world in order to determine risk factors for heart disease, yet  many people are confused by their cholesterol numbers and how they are expressed.  Part of this confusion may stem from the fact that literature originating in the United States gives cholesterol levels in units that are different from those used in Canada, Europe, and a good portion of the rest of the developed world.  So when you are looking for information to help you understand your test results, on the internet and elsewhere, you might not  understand the numbers that are reported in the American literature because they might look quite different from the cholesterol numbers on your lab report.

The United States reports cholesterol levels in mg/dL (milligrams per decilitre) of blood.  The rest of the world is using the measurement called mmol (or millimoles per litre).  Without going back to basic chemistry from high school, let’s just say  that they are different measurements. So is it any wonder that these two ways of expressing your cholesterol numbers are so different?

Here is how the two different systems of measurement stack up for desirable cholesterol numbers.

As expressed in the system of measurement used in the United States

Total cholesterol = less than 200 mg/dL LDL  = less than 100-129 mg/dL (below 100 is best) HDL  = more than 40 mg/dL (greater than 60 is considered protective against heart disease)

However, as expressed in the SI units (International System of Measurement) that most of the world is using the numbers are stated differently. (You can remember which letters refer to the good and the bad stuff by remembering it this  way…H stands for healthy  and L stands for lousy.)

Total cholesterol = less than 5.2 mmol/L LDL  = in the range of than 2.6 – 3.3 mmol/L (less than 2.6 is best) HDL  = in the range of more than 1 to 1.5 mmol/L (higher is better) mmol/L

Can you see the difference in how the cholesterol numbers are expressed?  The difference of course is in the units that are being measured. Think of it like metric and imperial measures. Your weight in pounds might be a three digit number but in kilograms it could be a two digit number. Same weight different measurements.

Understanding the Cholesterol Ratio

When used to determine if you have cholesterol risk factors for heart disease it is not the specific levels that are analyzed but rather the ratio of HDL in your total lipid profile. This number is called the cholesterol ratio and it gives an indication of how much of your total cholesterol is the “good” stuff.

The reason this is important is because the HDL is so beneficial, if it is present is sufficient quantities it  has a protective effect and  the LDL in your system cannot do as much damage.  So even if your LDL is higher than the desired levels, if the HDL is high as well and the ratio comes within the desired range then the risk of heart disease is less.

The goal is to keep the cholesterol ratio below 5:1; the optimum ratio is 3.5. The cholesterol ratio comes in at the same number no matter which system of measurement is used. The cholesterol ratio is obtained by dividing the total cholesterol number by the value given for the HDL. For example, if a you have a total cholesterol of 240 mg/dL and an HDL of 60 mg/dL,  the ratio is 4. Using the SI system of measurement if the total cholesterol is 7.20 mmol/L and the HDL is 1.8 mmol/L  the ratio is still 4.

You can see how this is a better way of understanding the cholesterol risk factors for heart disease and expressing it this way can prevent confusion that might result from not being familiar with the units that are used. This information is also helpful for understanding why the strategies recommended  for cholesterol imbalances work. Some of the best strategies are the ones that raise the HDL levels.  In particular, exercise has been found to be one of the best ways to improve the cholesterol ratio because it raises HDL levels.  By contrast smoking has been found to lower HDL levels so no exercise and smoking is a recipe for low HDL levels, a poor cholesterol ratio, and a higher risk for heart disease.

Cholesterol is found in every cell of the body and is essential for the maintenance of good health.  Low cholesterol levels have been associated with poor health so the goal is not to eliminate or reduce cholesterol entirely but to obtain the desirable levels of each type so that the protective benefits of the HDL can work for you in maintaining good health.

So don’t get mixed up when trying to understand your cholesterol levels.  No matter what way the numbers are expressed the message is the same.  You want to have enough of the good stuff and not so much of the bad stuff in order to reduce your risk factors for heart disease.

How Does Cholesterol Cause Heart Disease? What Can Be Done to Help Yourself Avoid It

Many of those who have suffered from heart attacks, probably realize the importance of eating healthy in order to avoid repeating this very scary experience. What happens to your heart prior to the heart attack? Eating an unhealthy diet has the tendency to increase the LDL level in your blood and elevated LDL cholesterol is associated with an increased risk of coronary heart disease. LDL deposits on the artery walls, causing the formation of a hard, thick substance called cholesterol plaque.

Through years of keeping the same eating habits (including fast food dining, junk food etc.), the cholesterol plaque will cause thickening of the artery walls and narrowing of the arteries, a process called arteriosclerosis. Scary word, isn’t? The arteries that zigzag in the walls of your heart and supply blood and oxygen to the heart muscles are called coronary arteries. When coronary arteries are narrowed, they are incapable of supplying enough blood and oxygen to the heart muscle during exertion. Lack of oxygen to the heart muscle causes chest pain. The formation of a blood clot in the artery can cause a complete blockage of the artery and lead to the death of the heart muscle (heart attack). Arteriosclerotic disease of coronary arteries (coronary heart disease) is the most common cause of death in the United States, accounting for about 600,000 deaths annually. What a morbid statistic! Are you sometimes wondering if you are next in line? Well, a health club facility isn’t as far fetched as you think, so I guess you know what to do and get your butt, or legs, on the treadmill.

We all know now what LDL does to your body. Well, if there is a “bad”, then a “good” can’t be too far away. When I say “good”, I’m talking about HDL. High Density Lipoprotein (HDL) is called the “good cholesterol” because HDL cholesterol particles prevent arteriosclerosis by extracting cholesterol from the artery walls and disposing of them through the liver. It also interferes with the accumulation of cholesterol in the artery walls through the LDL cholesterol particles.
The risk of arteriosclerosis and heart attacks in both men and women is strongly related to HDL cholesterol levels. Low levels of HDL cholesterol are linked to a higher risk, whereas high HDL cholesterol levels are associated with a lower risk.

Very low and very high HDL cholesterol levels can run in families. Families with low HDL cholesterol levels have a higher incidence of heart attacks than the general population, while families with high HDL cholesterol levels tend to live longer with a lower frequency of heart attacks.
Like LDL cholesterol, life style factors and other conditions influence HDL cholesterol levels. HDL cholesterol levels are lower in persons who smoke cigarettes, eat a lot of sweets, are overweight and inactive, and in patients with type II diabetes. HDL cholesterol is higher in people who are lean, exercise regularly, and do not smoke cigarettes. Estrogen increases a person’s HDL cholesterol, which explains why pre-menopausal women generally have higher HDL levels than men do.
For individuals with low HDL cholesterol levels, a high total or LDL cholesterol blood level further increases the incidence of heart attacks.

Therefore, the combination of high levels of LDL cholesterol with low levels of HDL cholesterol is undesirable whereas the combination of low levels of LDL cholesterol and high levels of HDL cholesterol is favorable. Remember to always check your cholesterol blood test for the ratio of LDL to HDL. The total cholesterol is not a good indicator of your health. You will need to obtain the split between the HDL and LDL. Thus, the total cholesterol to HDL cholesterol ratio (total/HDL) is a number that is helpful in predicting arteriosclerosis. The number is obtained by dividing total cholesterol by HDL cholesterol. (High ratios indicate higher risks of heart attacks, low ratios indicate lower risk). An average ratio would be about 4.5. Ideally, we want to be better than average. Thus, the best ratio would be 2 or 3 or less than 4.

All of this is getting pretty complicated, although I have tried my best to make it as user-friendly as possible. We all have many questions to ask our doctors, nutrition specialists, or even our dieticians. Moreover, you should pay attention to the following: Are they being clear in their explanations? This depends again on the specialist. You will need to get outside information to complement what is said between you and the medical professional. To a certain extent, books can be very helpful as well, they will allow you to know what questions to ask your doctor. For those who suffer a mild to dangerous heart attack, the first step after leaving the hospital is to get more information about the subject. Fear and ignorance can make you avoid reality. However, all the medical books available can still be difficult to comprehend when authors use medical terminology that only doctors can understand. Are there hidden secrets that they (the doctors) don’t want to share with us? They write books as if we are supposed to understand all their concepts, terminologies, and theories. Depending on how the author approaches the subject at hand, you will need to use a medical dictionary to understand the wording used in the book. It greatly confuses the reader who doesn’t know where else to turn. Although I haven’t had any heart attacks, I was curious and wanted to understand how the body works and how I can avoid such a terrible experience. A proactive approach will increase my chances of going through life without experiencing any of these ordeals. The power of information will enable me to go on and be more assertive when it comes to my health.

I am now sharing my knowledge with you and hopefully can help you understand how we can reduce the risk of becoming statistics by year’s end. Healthy eating and exercising are primary factors that will, in many cases, assure great health and reduce the LDL levels in your blood.
I’ve already mentioned some of the other factors that determine the LDL level in your blood. Some people are genetically predisposed to high LDL levels in the blood and do not voluntarily contribute (by eating at fast food restaurants) to elevated LDL levels. Others are aware of what they eat (fast food and sweets) but still go through life wondering what they did to deserve having a heart attack. Both heredity and diet have a significant influence on a patient’s LDL, HDL, and total cholesterol levels. For example, familial hyper-cholesterolemia (FH) is a common inherited disorder whose victims have a diminished number or no LDL receptors on the surface of their liver cells. The resulting decreased activity of the LDL receptors limits the liver’s ability to remove LDL cholesterol from the blood. Thus, affected family members have abnormally high LDL cholesterol levels in their blood. They also tend to develop arteriosclerosis and heart attacks during early adulthood. In order to lower LDL cholesterol, the activity level of the LDL receptors must be increased. LDL receptor activity can be increased through diets that are low in cholesterol and saturated fats and through prescription drugs.

Lowering LDL cholesterol involves losing excess weight, exercising regularly, and following a diet that is low in saturated fat. Drugs are prescribed when diet and exercise cannot reduce the LDL cholesterol to acceptable levels. Some of my acquaintances have used medication to resolve that problem. When all your options are exhausted, the use of prescription drugs can be the only alternative.

Author: Daniel A Amzallag
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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Cholesterol Levels And Ratios – Are Cholesterol Numbers Confusing You?

Cholesterol levels are being tested as part of regular health screening all over the world yet many people are confused by their cholesterol numbers and how they are expressed. Part of this confusion may stem from the fact that most of the cholesterol literature is coming from the United States where they still report cholesterol levels in units that are different from those used in Canada, Europe and a good portion of the rest of the developed world. So if you are looking for information to help you understand your cholesterol test results you might not be able to understand the numbers that are reported in the American literature, that includes the internet.

The United States reports cholesterol levels in mg/dl (milligrams per decilitre) of blood. The rest of the world is using the measurement called mmol (or millimoles per litre). Without going back to basic chemistry from high school, suffice it to say that they are different measurements. So is it any wonder that these two ways of expressing your cholesterol numbers are so different?

Here is how the two different systems of measurement stack up for desirable cholesterol levels.

* Total cholesterol = less than 200 mg/dL
* LDL = less than 100-129 mg/dL (below 100 is best)
* HDL = more than 40 mg/dL (greater than 60 is considered protective against heart disease)

However, as expressed in the SI units (International System of Measurement) that most of the world is using the numbers are stated differently. (You can remember which letters refer to healthy and lousy by remembering it this way…H stands for healthy lipoprotein and L stands for lousy lipoprotein.)

* Total cholesterol = less than 5.2 mmol/L
* LDL = in the range of than 2.6 – 3.3 mmol/L (less than 2.6 is best)
* HDL = in the range of more than 1 to 1.5 mmol/L (higher is better) mmol/L

Can you see the difference in how the cholesterol numbers are expressed? The difference of course is in the units that are being measured.

Think of it like metric and imperial measures. Your weight in pounds might be a three digit number but in kilograms it could be a two digit number. Same weight different measurements.

When used to determine risk of heart disease it is not the specific cholesterol levels that are analyzed but rather the ratio of HDL in your total lipid profile. This number is called the cholesterol ratio and it gives an indication of how much of your total cholesterol is the “good stuff”.

The reason that the ratio is important is because the HDL (good stuff) is so beneficial that it can protect you from the effects of the LDL if it is in your body in sufficient quantities. So even if your LDL is higher that desirable levels, if the HDL is high as well, if the ratio comes within the desired range then the risk to your health is less.

The goal is to keep the cholesterol ratio below 5:1; the optimum ratio is 3.5. The cholesterol ratio comes in at the same number no matter which system of measurement is used to express the specific cholesterol levels.

The cholesterol ratio is obtained by dividing the total cholesterol number by the value given for the HDL. For example, if a person has a total cholesterol of 240 mg/dL and an HDL of 60 mg/dL, the ratio would be 4.

Using the SI system of measurement if the total cholesterol is 7.20 mmol/L and the HDL is 1.8 mmol/L the ratio is still 4.

You can see how this is a better way of understanding risk and prevents confusion that might result from not being familiar with the units that are used to express cholesterol levels.

This information is also helpful for understanding why the strategies why the for cholesterol imbalances work. Some of the best strategies are the ones that raise the HDL levels. In particular, exercise has been found to be one of the best ways to improve the cholesterol ratio because it raises HDL levels. By contrast smoking has been found to lower HDL levels so no exercise and smoking is a recipe for low HDL levels, a poor cholesterol ratio, and a higher risk of heart disease.

Cholesterol is found in every cell of the body and is essential for the maintenance of good health. Low cholesterol levels have been associated with poor health so the goal is not to eliminate or reduce cholesterol entirely but to establish the desirable levels of each type of cholesterol so that the protective benefits of the HDL can work for you in maintaining good health.

So don’t get mixed up when trying to understand you cholesterol levels. No matter what way the numbers are expressed the message is the same. You want to have enough of the good stuff and not so much of the bad stuff!

What You Should Know About Cholesterol Testing

When should I undergo a cholesterol test? What would the results say about my health? How many tests are there and which will give me the best results?

Unlike any other health tests, cholesterol testing does not diagnose disease. Instead, it reveals the risks of developing heart disease. Cholesterol testing is considered necessary in preventive health care for individuals over 20 years of age. The test should be repeated once every five years for healthy individuals.

Cholesterol testing, along with HDL, LDL and triglyceride testing is called the lipoprotein profile.

Cholesterol testing is done several times a year for individuals who are on a prescribed diet and for those who are taking cholesterol lowering medications.

Usually blood samples are drawn from the arm. Sometimes blood samples are taken from the fingertip. The samples are analyzed by a cholesterol testing device. Cholesterol tests are used to monitor the progress in lowering the cholesterol level.

Test results are grouped in three types:

* Desirable – the cholesterol level of 200 mg/dL below is regarded to be desirable because it has a low risk of heart disease.

* Borderline high – a total cholesterol level of 200 mg/dL to 240 mg/dL is at fair risk of having heart disease. Your doctor may decide to give you have a lipid profile in order to determine which cholesterol level is high.
* High Risk – a 240 mg/dL cholesterol level is considered to be at high risk of heart disease. Expect a lipid profiling if your cholesterol level is this high. It is more likely that you will be given a cholesterol lowering medication along with a low cholesterol diet.

Cholesterol tests are usually given when the individual is healthy because the blood cholesterol level of an individual who has an acute illness, (after a heart attack or after surgery or accident) is likely to be low. Individuals are advised to wait at least six weeks after any illness before taking cholesterol tests. Pregnant women are also advised to wait six weeks before having their cholesterol level measured.

A Brief Explanation of Cholesterol Ratios:

Cholesterol ratios consist of total cholesterol. Total cholesterol includes low level lipoprotein cholesterol levels (LDL cholesterol), triglycerides and high density lipoprotein cholesterol level (HDL cholesterol).

Cholesterol is measured by milligrams of cholesterol per deciliter of blood (mg/dL). Usually, only the total cholesterol amount is given when a person is tested for cholesterol. Sometimes you are given the HDL cholesterol and the total cholesterol results.

The desirable total cholesterol level is 200mg/dL and the beneficial amount of HDL is more than 40mg/dL.

There are two important cholesterol ratios. These they are LDL/HDL cholesterol ratios and total cholesterol/HDL cholesterol ratios.

In the latter cholesterol ratios, your cholesterol result is given by the total cholesterol divided by the HDL cholesterol. According to the American Heart Association, the desirable amount should be below 5:1 with the optimal amount of 3.5:1 or 3.5 to 1.

The LDL/HDL is done by dividing LDL cholesterol by the HDL cholesterol. The desirable amount in this ratio should be 3.5 below. The American Heart Association recommended that physicians must use complete numbers for total cholesterol/HDL cholesterol in determining the appropriate treatment.

A normal cholesterol level as suggested by the National Institute of Health:
* total cholesterol – 200mg/dL
* LDL – 100mg/dL
* HDL (man) – 40mg/dL above
* HDL (woman) – 50mg/dL above
* Triglycerides – 150mg/dL

It is important to remember to fast the night before, prior to taking a lipid profile test (a test that profiles the HDL cholesterol, triglycerides and total cholesterol) the next day.

High Cholesterol Ldl Hdl And The Best Diet To Lower Cholesterol And Reach Healthy Cholesterol Levels

It is time to clear up the confusion once and for all.

If suddenly all of the cholesterol in your body disappeared, you would literally melt into the floor like the wicked witch in the Wizard of Oz.  You would melt because the “structural framework” of the cell is made almost entirely of cholesterol, and without the structural framework the cell would collapse,  This waxy-alcohol is so important to so many life processes, that besides it being available in animal-based foods, your body makes it in two specific ways.

First, every day your liver makes cholesterol and sends it streaming into your blood where, ideally, it is absorbed into the cells where it is needed.  Anything not taken into the cell for use is transported back to the liver where it is recycled or simply eliminated.  It is important to note that every cell in your body has the ability to make what it needs internally, and every cell in your body has the ability to grab in out of the the blood and bring it into the cell for use.

Your total cholesterol is determined primarily by whether your cells make it internally, or instead, gather what is needed directly from the blood. 

Consuming cholesterol containing foods is NOT a factor in determining if the cells make it internally or gather it from the blood. Numerous studies document the fact that even  massive changes in egg, meat, and any animal-source food consumption, up or down, have only a minor effect on total level measured by your doctor. .

Two Ways Your Cells Get What They Need

1. Cells make it internally, which means it is not gathered from the blood, and/or;
2. The cells do not make it internally and instead, send cell receptors, (kind of like a catchers mitt), from deep inside the cell to the surface of the cell to grab what is needed from the blood and bring it back inside the cell.

The only reason your liver makes cholesterol is to send it cruising through your blood so the cells can grab what they need.  Too bad the liver and the cells don’t communicate because the liver makes it every day regardless of whether or not the cells harvest it from the blood.

• If your cells make it internally, then no cell receptors, (remember the catchers mitt) are sent to gather cholesterol from the blood, and blood levels increase.
• If instead of making it internally, the cell gather what’s needed from the blood, then blood levels typically remain low.

The cells don’t care how they get what they need BUT YOU SHOULD because there is a correlation between elevated levels and heart health.

Much of the confusion on this topic has to do with the fact that consuming cholesterol-rich foods has only a very small effect on determining total blood levels. Your liver manufacturers about 2000 mg. of cholesterol every day.  If you enjoy foods that contain it, the liver simply does not make as much. 

If you get 1000 mg. in your diet, the liver only makes 1000 mg., giving you a total of 2000 mg for the day.  If you consume zero for 24 hours,  your liver makes 2000 mg for the day, if you consume 1500 mg. in food, your liver only makes 500 mg. more for the day.  You get the idea.  If you don’t get cholesterol in food, your liver makes it.  If you do get it in food, your liver makes 2000 mg, minus the amount you consumed that day.

The bottom line is,  food accounts for a maximum of 20% of your total at any given time, which means 80% of the reason for a high, low  or normal total HAS NOTHING WHATSOEVER TO DO WITH WHETHER OR NOT YOU CONSUME CHOLESTEROL CONTAINING FOODS, which means trying to control your total level by rigorously avoiding animal-based food products is a misguided and highly inefficient approach.

The key to healthy numbers is to get the cell to gather what it needs out of the blood and NOT produce cholesterol internally.

By gathering from  the blood, total blood levels typically stays well within a healthy range, and the important HDL to LDL ratios also stay in the healthy range.

A specific enzyme with a long, complicated name controls the manufacture of cholesterol inside the cells.  When this enzyme IS ACTIVE then LDL is made inside the cell and little or none is scavenged from the blood.  If the enzyme IS NOT ACTIVE, then little if any is made inside the cell and what is needed is harvested directly out of the blood, which of course lowers the total blood level.

Better yet, low density lipoprotein, (LDL), often considered bad, is what the cell gathers from the blood which means the total lowers and the so called bad, lowers the most.

Popular prescription drug work the same way, except with horrific side effects. The drugs work by inhibiting the enzyme that activates cellular production, because if there is no internal production, the cell will gathers what it needs directly from the blood, naturally lowering blood levels.

The secret to establish and maintain normal, healthy levels is to ACTIVATE cells to sweep it out of the blood and NATURALLY DEACTIVATE the enzyme that causes cells to make it internally.

The “secret” is really no secret at all; in fact any medical physiology textbook clearly explains that the metabolic hormones insulin and glucagon are the two hormones that regulate the rate of cholesterol synthesis inside the cells.

Insulin activates the enzyme that causes cells to make cholesterol internally.  This means that if blood-insulin levels become elevated for any reason, the cells immediately begin to make it internally and stop gathering from the blood, which leads to higher numbers.

The metabolic hormone glucagon has exactly the opposite affect; glucagon inhibits the enzyme that causes production inside the cell.  If the cell does not make it internally, cell receptors go to the surface of the cell and gather directly from the blood, which means your total will, in all probability, be normal.

This is not new information and is well known cellular biochemistry, in fact it is the EXACT biochemistry that expensive side-effect laden drugs are based on.

Lowering Cholesterol Naturally With Dietary Change

Eat in a way that avoids the production of excess insulin and odds are your everything your doctor measures in a blood test will improve; there will in all probability be less of anything your doctor considers bad and more of everything your doctor considers good, and except for eating eating a little differently, it will seem effortless on your part.

This is not opinion, this is metabolic fact clearly explained in medical physiology textbooks since mid 1950.  With this knowledge it is crystal clear that dietary cholesterol consumption plays a VERY SMALL ROLE in determining total levels and is essentially a non-issue for most people including millions who have been scared into taking drugs to get lower numbers.

Understanding HDL and LDL

There are two more pieces to the puzzle, the first piece has to do with understanding the ratio between the “good” and the “bad”" cholesterol, the second piece of the puzzle has to do with understanding the effect diet has on the total.

First the ratios: Ratios are simple.   As soon as you understand the difference between LDL and HDL you’ll understand practically everything.

Low-density lipoprotein, or LDL, is a protein that transports cholesterol from the liver into the blood, making it available for absorption into the cells.  Low-density lipoproteins are like wheel barrows or trucks, loaded with cholesterol, bringing it into the blood stream just in case the cells need it. 

Unfortunately, if you eat in a way that causes the constant presence of excess insulin in your system, these LDL truckloads are not needed because the cells are making all everything they need internally.

If the cells make everything internally, the low-density lipoprotein (LDL) sent through the blood from the liver are unnecessary, which means the excess is subject to build up in  the blood, tissues and arteries, setting the stage for serious health problems.

High density lipoprotein, or HDL, help eliminate excess LDL by collecting it from the tissues and arteries and transporting it out of the blood and back to the liver where it is recycled or disposed of. 

HDL particles are like the LDL clean-up crew.  HDL particles are the empty trucks sent into the blood stream to load up all the excess, extra sticky LDL that spills out and collects in the tissues and arteries and then  transport it out of the blood. Clearly, cleaning up excess LDL lowers the total.

LDL is recognized as “bad” because LDL transports cholesterol INTO the blood. HDL is considered “good” because HDL gathers up excess LDL and transports it OUT of the blood.  With this in mind, it’s easy to understand the importance of having the proper ratio of  HDL to LDL. If the ratio of LDL to HDL is too high that means your blood is being loaded with extra sticky LDL faster than the HDL clean-up crew can remove it, which means the stuff is building up inside the tissues and arteries, and that’s bad.

Doctors have determined that having the proper ratio between HDL and LDL is a more important predictor of health than the total number.  In other words, the person with a total of 260 mg/dl and a good HDL to LDL ratio is in better shape health-wise than someone with a 175 mg/dl total reading whose LDL level is too high compared to their HDL level.

Two ratio standards are commonly accepted by most doctors and researchers:

1. Total divided by HDL should be below 4; and,
2.  LDL divided by HDL should be below 3.

There is near universal agreement in the medical and scientific community that the further your ratios are from these standards the greater the risk of developing heart disease.

It is INCORRECT to assume that a lower and ever lower total somehow translates into better health.

Research clearly shows the “ideal healthy range” is in the 180-to 200 mg/dl range, and most importantly, with the proper HDL to LDL ratios.

Historically, total levels over 200 correlate positively with increased risk of heart disease, and levels lower than 180 correlate positively with almost every serious disease known except heart disease.

We know insulin stimulates the cell to produce cholesterol internally.  Given this, it should be clear that the key to maintaining a normal, healthy level is to eat in a way that does not stimulate an insulin response.

We know that LDL carries cholesterol into the blood and HDL carries unused LDL particles out of the blood, which s why HDL is recognized as being good.  The next piece of the puzzle explains the affect food consumption has on your total level.

There is a great deal of confusion over which foods affect the blood levels the most. 

It is a popular misconception that the best way to lower numbers naturally is to avoid all cholesterol containing foods and consume primarily a low fat diet.  This is fundamentally wrong.  A rigidly enforced, low fat, no-animal-product diet can result in a lower total, but that kind of diet has only a minor affect at best, and causes a disproportionate drop in the good HDL in relationship to the extra sticky LDL, and that increases the risk of heart disease. 

Research proves beyond doubt  that a higher total with a good HDL to LDL ratio is overall MUCH healthier than lower total with a poor HDL to LDL ratio. This means that while low fat diets may result in slightly lower total numbers, following these diets may actually INCREASE the risk of heart disease.  Even though total cholesterol drops, disease risk increases because the level of the “good” HDL, that transports sticky LDL out of the blood drops, too low compared to the reduction in the sticky LDL.

• When HDL is too low in relationship to LDL, the blood flows thick with extra sticky LDL that builds up inside the tissues and arteries. 
• We know  that a diet high in carbohydrates stimulates excess insulin to flood into the blood stream and cause the cells to make cholesterol internally.

Given this reality of human biochemistry, you can see that a diet high in sugar or carbohydrate is the PRIMARY cause of cholesterol build up in the blood, and this happens regardless of much or how little animal-source foods you eat along the way.

To put it another way, if you went on a 100% cholesterol-free diet for one year, at the end of that year the maximum possible drop in your total would be 20%.Likewise, if you went on a 100% cholesterol-only diet for one year, at the end of the year the maximum possible increase in your total would be 20%.  And while 20% is no small amount, but obviously, 80% is a lot more?  A small change in the 80% is more meaningful than a large change in the 20%.

The problem with cutting animal-source foods from your diet is that you miss out on many healthy, delicious, nutritious foods that ultimately have very little affect on your total number and even less affect on the all-important HDL to LDL ratio.

If you never take another bite food containing cholesterol in your life and instead eat only bread, rice, pasta, potatoes, sweets and so on; there is 100% certainty your LDL  number and triglycerides would go sky high.  In other words, enjoy the steak and eggs or not, but either way if you load up on bread, rice, potatoes and desserts, you’re destined to have high LDL, an unhealthy HDL to LDL ratio, and are likely to be awarded a lifetime prescription for dangerous drugs loaded with bad side effects. 

When food crosses your lips there are only two possible metabolic outcomes.  Depending on your food choice either insulin OR glucagon becomes the dominant hormone in your system for the next several hours.

If insulin takes over, you make and store fat at a rapid rate and your cells make everything internally.  If glucagon takes control you burn stored fat and your cells harvest cholesterol directly from your blood.  Ultimately this is simple stuff!

Since glucagon gives you desirable metabolic results and insulin gives you undesirable ones, the question becomes; what kind diet puts glucagon in the metabolic drivers seat?  Here are the facts so you can decide for yourself.

Research proves that a diet low in sugar and refined carbohydrates and higher in protein and naturally occurring fats, like the fat in milk, cheese, butter, and meat, not only lower total cholesterol, but result in much healthier HDL to LDL ratios than any other diet tested, and they have all been tested repeatedly.

Reducing foods high in sugar and refined carbohydrates is vitally important because carbohydrates cause excess insulin and excess insulin causes most of the problems.

• If you cut back on food and drink high in sugar or carbohydrates, your blood-insulin level remains normal.  
• If insulin is not high, that means the glucagon is the active metabolic hormone.
• And when glucagon is the active metabolic hormone,  you burn stored fat for energy, and end up with lower triglycerides, lower your total cholesterol, and a healthier HDL to LDL ratio.

In other words, pull this off and you improve your health in a variety of important ways. 

This is quite a turn of events.  For years the experts said to only a low fat diet and pile on the foods high in carbohydrates, because they are low in fat and provide lots of energy.  Clearly the ever-worsening tragedy of obesity, diabetes, and increasing heart disease has proven this advice to be astonishingly wrong and it’s wrong regardless of who gives it because the proven facts of human biochemistry are what they are and that is simply that.

The new advice is not based on “popular wisdom,” “common knowledge,” “common practice” or “opinion” and instead is based on a more complete understanding of medical physiology, cellular biology, and the human endocrine system

Now for the final question concerning metabolism.  How do you put glucagon securely in the metabolic drivers seat and begin to enjoy the wonderful health benefits gained from establishing the proper insulin/glucagon balance in your body.  And the answer in a word is PROTEIN

Protein provides significant nutrition without causing a rise in blood sugar, but the key is not just getting protein, the key is getting protein WITHOUT excess carbohydrates.

With or without protein, excess carbohydrates cause a sharp rise in blood sugar and that produces an insulin response, which leads to fat production and storage, high triglycerides, and increased cholesterol.  When you enjoy a delicious protein meal with minimal carbohydrates coming primarily from fresh green vegetables or fresh seasonal fruit, you set up the IDEAL conditions to establish a perfect metabolic relationship between insulin and glucagon.

To help clarify the effect food has on the insulin-glucagon relationship, consider the following facts.

1. A normal healthy person has slightly less than one single teaspoon of glucose circulating in their entire blood stream at any single time.
2. A carbohydrate is nothing more than several different kinds of sugar molecules linked together. Once eaten, these sugars are quickly broken down into glucose which instantly enters your blood and causes blood sugar to rise rapidly, just like eating candy does.
3. Insulin production is the natural, healthy response to lower rapidly rising blood sugar, which is why consuming food or drink high sugar, or carbohydrates that quickly break down into sugar, will always result in a quick rise in insulin.

How many carbohydrates does it take to produce an insulin response?

To answer this, keep in mind that 5 grams of carbohydrate equals approximately 1 teaspoon of sugar, which is close to the normal amount of sugar found in the blood.

Now, a single can of one of the better-known brands of soft drinks lists 39 grams of carbohydrates in the nutrition information panel printed on the can.

Divide 39 total carbohydrate grams by 5 grams per teaspoon and you quickly discover that this single can of soda water contains nearly 8 teaspoons of sugar that will actually enter your blood.

Since 1 teaspoon of sugar is the normal healthy amount contained in the blood, 8 times that amount is clearly too much, which means if you drink that soft drink a quick rise in blood sugar and a quick insulin response to lower the rising blood sugar is absolutely guaranteed.

How high do insulin levels climb in order to reduce rising blood sugar?

According to the Textbook of Medical Physiology, insulin secreted to bring down rising blood sugar rises dramatically within 15 minutes and peaks 2-3 hours later in ranges that are from 10 to 25 times above normal, and insulin levels remain elevated for hours.

Now that you understand that once stimulated, insulin levels stay elevated for several hours, it is easy to understand how eating sugary foods or high carbohydrate meals and snacks throughout the day essentially insures that insulin stays abnormally high all day long and that glucagon is left entirely out of the metabolic picture.

The key to activating glucagon and putting it in the metabolic drivers seat is to eat meals with plenty of protein and, carbohydrates almost entirely from fresh vegetables. As long as you avoid the chemically altered fats that produce dangerous trans fatty acids, dietary fat consumption is essentially not an issue because, much like protein, natural fat is turned into structural raw material needed for cell growth and maintenance.

Keep in mind that your body contains something on the order of a hundred trillion cells and each and every one of them is made from and contains both protein and fat.Not one single cell in your body is made from carbohydrates.  Protein and fat consumption is essential to life.  Without a regular supply of protein and fat your health would fail.

Carbohydrate consumption is not essential to life.  Of course some carbohydrates are healthy and very good for you, but if you never ate another carbohydrate in your life it would not make you sick and you could be as healthy as anyone who ever walked the planet.

There is not a single disease associated with a lack of carbohydrates. The reason for this is that dietary consumption of carbohydrates is simply not that important because your body can instantly make all the glucose it needs directly from protein and fat.

The important point is that to keep excess insulin to a minimum and insure you have enough glucagon in your system, you need meals that contain protein and are low in processed and starchy carbohydrates like bread, pasta, rice, potatoes, corn, sweet drinks, added sugar and so on.

Excess insulin is a serious threat to your health.  Excess insulin is your enemy and excess insulin is produced in your body primarily as a direct result of your food choices.  Excess insulin leads to higher triglycerides, higher cholesterol, poor HDL to LDL ratios, higher blood pressure, excess fat production and storage, obesity, insulin resistance, and dramatically increased risk for diabetes, heart disease, and stroke.

• Glucagon is your friend and enjoying protein meals with a minimum of processed carbohydrates activates glucagon in your system.
• Glucagon is the hormone that causes you to burn stored body fat for energy. When glucagon is in the metabolic drivers seat it is amazingly easy to establish and maintain your ideal healthy body weight ESPECIALLY when you are getting the essential nutrients.

There is increasing awareness in the medical community that total cholesterol level is no where near the significant  predictor of heart disease as once believed as long as HDL and LDL are in proper relationship.  Of course you would never believe that if you watch the drug commercials on television, but the facts remain, excluding the possibility of a malfunctioning liver or some rare genetic malady, NO ONE needs drugs to lower cholesterol because it can be easily controlled by reducing insulin-spiking, sugar and high carbohydrate foods in your diet.

Having great health is a choice you can make and it is an easy choice to make when you know how!

Author: Russell Martino
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Provided by: Duty tariff

Chapter 4-HDL – The Good Cholesterol

HDL is a type of cholesterol. HDL stands for High Density Lipoprotein. It is often referred to as the good cholesterol. There are tricks to remember this, such as let the H in HDL, stands for Healthy or High. So when one sees HDL they will hopefully remember either healthy or high and this should remind you that it is the healthy kind and we want this number to be high.

When one goes for the classic lipid profile the HDL will be reported as a number. If one’s HDL is less than forty one is said to have a higher risk of heart disease. Values greater than fifty-nine are viewed as giving one a lower risk of heart disease. Values between forty and fifty-eight are a middle ground where risk could be high or low depending on other risk factors. These risk factors could be obesity, smoking, high blood pressure or being male. So if having an elevated HDL protects us from CAD the question should now become; how does one elevate HDL and what exactly is an HDL molecule?

As an extremely important side note male patients greater than forty-five years of age and especially patients male or female at or greater than fifty years of age who have any underlying medical problems absolutely need nuclear stress tests. A nuclear stress test is where a nuclear isotope is injected into the bloodstream. The patient runs on a treadmill, the heart is monitored while on the treadmill and then monitored again after the running is complete. This is an indirect assessment of potential blockages in the coronary arteries. It needs to be mentioned that even a nuclear stress test can miss coronary artery occlusions and even a negative stress test, that is, a stress test that does not reveal any blockages could be falsely negative. What this means is that there are blockages in the coronary arteries, but the nuclear stress test missed it. The only way around this is to perform cardiac catheterizations on everyone and to just stop performing nuclear stress tests since they can sometimes be misleading. I do not recommend performing cardiac catheterizations instead of stress tests as the catheterizations are invasive and have higher complications associated with their performance. Getting a nuclear stress is still the preferred way to indirectly assess for the presence of coronary artery disease. If the stress test is positive then one will need a cardiac catheterization.

Before I leave this side-note, if you are someone with diabetes and you are a male or female at or greater than fifty years of age you absolutely need a nuclear stress test. This is because diabetics are notorious for having what is known as silent heart attacks and even blockages, which cause no symptoms whatsoever. You could be walking around with significant CAD and not even know it. And the only chance of knowing this is through a nuclear stress test. I cannot tell you how many times a diabetic patient over the age of fifty has come to see me for a regular check-up, has had no symptoms of chest pain, difficulty in breathing, or any other symptom which might have alerted me to the existence of coronary artery occlusion; has had normal looking EKGs and I perform a nuclear stress test and find significant coronary artery blockages. The scary thing is that some of these patients had actually been seeing other docs, including cardiologists, who failed to perform a routine nuclear stress test. The bottom line is that if you have diabetes, or any other medical issue and you are at or greater than the age of fifty, you need a nuclear stress test. If you cannot walk for whatever reason there are other nuclear stress tests which can be performed to help assess for the presence of CAD. And lastly, if you are male or female at or greater than the age of sixty-YOU ABSOLUTELY NEED A NUCLEAR STRESS TEST NO MATTER WHAT!!!! This is because as we get older we can accrue plaques in our coronary arteries just from being on the planet longer. Now, let us get back to our discussion as to what an HDL molecule is made up of.

First, we will look at what comprises an HDL molecule. Well, HDL stands for high-density lipoprotein. So, it has to have some protein in it, lipo means fat, so fats there too, and it is high density; but, still, what does that mean. It simply means it is a molecule, which contains cholesterol, fat, and protein. Since there is a lower amount of fat in an HDL molecule it is called high density because fat is less dense than protein and cholesterol. The more fat the lower the density, the less fat the higher the density.

OK, now here is something very interesting. Ask your typical internist, family doc, pediatrician, cardiologist, or just about anyone who thinks they know something about HDL how to increase the HDL in the bloodstream. We all see low HDLs and we see them a lot. Usually in men, but also in women. The answer they give is almost always the same; if you want to increase your HDL, lower your fat and cholesterol intake and increase your whole grains, fruits and vegetables. This, the above docs say, will increase your HDL.

From our discussion thus far you know immediately your body will have all the things necessary to make more fat and cholesterol. But what kind of fat and cholesterol will we make? The fat part is easy; we will make more triglycerides (you know what, I am getting tired of spelling out triglycerides so for now on I am calling them TGs). As far as cholesterol is concerned, again, what kind of cholesterol will we make when we eat a diet low in fat and cholesterol?

Well, cholesterol is cholesterol is cholesterol, so the short answer is; just plain ole cholesterol is formed. But is it HDL, LDL, VLDL or IDL, which I will now call the DLs? Guess what, if you focus on those three letter cholesterols you start to forget that they are simply carrier molecules of cholesterol. That is correct, all these DLs do is carry cholesterol around in the body and exchange it with other DLs. So viewing cholesterol as a good or bad type of cholesterol totally confuses the picture.

Another side note: HDL is known for carrying away cholesterol after a cell dies. After the HDL molecule picks this cholesterol up it shuttles it away and gives it to other DLs. But why is it considered the good cholesterol? Well, that is because HDL is also known to take cholesterol back to the liver for its removal from the bloodstream

Now the confusing part begins. Exactly how do our bodies actually get rid of cholesterol? There are certain medications that are referred to as bile acid sequestrants. Bile is a substance the liver makes, it gets stored in the gallbladder and is released to help with the digestion of fats and cholesterol. Bile acid itself contains cholesterol so the drug companies developed a medication which binds with these bile acids, does not let them go and when you poop out comes the cholesterol. Pretty clever.

Only thing is these specific types of meds can only lower the cholesterol number by a small amount. Anyone with a high cholesterol number will need another med, assuming the proper diet is not revealed to the patient to help lower the cholesterol number further. It may appear as if we have come off our topic of HDL, but we really have not.

You would think that if HDL was a good cholesterol it would somehow get rid of the cholesterol from the body so it could not bind to our arteries and kill us. But this does not happen. HDL quickly takes and gives its cholesterol to other DLs. One of which is the LDL transporter, which everyone mistakenly believes is the bad cholesterol. But if HDL is quickly giving its cholesterol to LDL, I am still confused. Would that not make HDL a bad cholesterol too, since it is aiding and abetting the LDL cholesterol? I will discuss more about LDL cholesterol below, but for now understand that LDL is considered the bad cholesterol.

OK, so let us get back to our typical internist, family doc, pediatrician, or cardiologist. When we ask them how to raise the HDL they will answer exercise, follow a low fat, low cholesterol diet, which means we need to eat more whole grains, fruits and veggies. After sixteen years of practicing medicine I can tell you that this does not work. Some docs will be thinking that, “Of course it works.” And my reply is that in sixteen years of caring for patients I have rarely seen this diet/exercise approach work to significantly elevate the HDL.

Well what have I seen work you might ask? The only thing I have seen work to substantially increase HDL, doubling it, sometimes increasing the HDL by two and a half times its value; is increasing one’s consumption of fat and cholesterol, coupled with a dramatic lowering of one’s carb intake.

That is correct, as crazy as it sounds: increasing one’s consumption of fat and cholesterol in the diet will substantially raise your HDL values. This process can take up to a year, but it works and it works every time. Every time! When patients of mine increase their fat and cholesterol consumption their HDLs oftentimes double. That’s right, double! The best the drug companies can offer is somewhere around a thirty-five percent increase in HDL, but if one increases their consumption of fats and cholesterol and lowers their carb intake, one can increase the HDL by 100%.

To put this in perspective, a thirty-five percent increase means that if your HDL is thirty, not an unusual number to see, the most you can expect as an increase if you are using meds will be from thirty to forty. Sounds impressive until you realize that you are still at increased risk of heart disease even with an HDL in the forty range. How about we take that HDL of thirty and change it into a sixty or seventy, this can be done if you follow the correct diet.

I really am not sure why the HDL doubles. I have read the books, but cannot figure it out. Only thing I can come up with is since the body is not making as much cholesterol, it chooses to make HDL and the good LDL preferentially over the others. So now one may wonder, what happens to the LDL thing, you know, that thing we doctors mistakenly call the bad cholesterol. I will show you in Chapter Six. Before we can talk intelligently about LDL we need to discuss some basic math and I mean really basic math, that is, the math used to calculate all the typical LDLs in our country.

“Nothing is more difficult than competing with a myth”

-Francoise Giroud

Author: James Carlson
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Provided by: Canada duty rates

The Normal Range of Cholesterol Levels and How To Maintain A Healthy Balance

With more and more people eating a poor diet high in saturated fat, it is no wonder that fewer people have the normal range of cholesterol levels. It is thought that over 30% of those over 40 have unhealthy levels.

The normal range of cholesterol levels is:

Total Cholesterol: 200mg/dl

LDL: Less than 100mg/dl

HDL: At least 40mg/dl

Triglyceride: Less than 150mg/dl

If your total is between 201–239 you have an increased risk of heart disease and over 240 puts you much more at risk unless you have high HDL levels too. This is because HDL is the good type which helps to clear away excess amounts of LDL or the bad one, to keep you healthy.

It is good not to get too hung up on your total levels but rather ensure you have a healthy ratio. A good one is 3:1 LDL to HDL with an optimal one being 2:1.

You can help balance these out in many ways and concentrating on one at a time is usually the most successful way.

Increasing the amount of exercise you do is very beneficial and 30 minutes a day of a raised heartbeat can significantly reduce your risk of a heart attack or stroke and lower your bad cholesterol level.

Eating less fast food, red meat, dairy, cakes and pastries while increasing your intake of fruit, vegetables, oatmeal, nuts and wholegrains will have a positive impact too.

As only a small proportion of your total cholesterol comes from your diet, it is good advice to take a natural cholesterol supplement as well with a quality one proven to lower your LDL and raise your HDL levels to maintain a healthy balance and ratio.

Now you know what the normal range of cholesterol levels is and how to achieve it, you can take the appropriate action and help yourself maintain optimal health and help to avoid a premature heart attack or stroke.

If you would like to learn more about the natural cholesterol balancing supplements I personally take, visit my website below today.

Discover the best natural cholesterol balancing supplements today.

Reuben Hopkins is a dedicated researcher of nutrition, diet and the amazing health benefits of natural cholesterol balancing supplements. Take a moment to visit his site now at http://www.balanced-cholesterol.com and discover the latest supplements he recommends after extensive research.

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/health-articles/the-normal-range-of-cholesterol-levels-and-how-to-maintain-a-healthy-balance-1743740.html

Understanding Your Cholesterol Numbers

One of the most useful tests an adult can take is the cholesterol test. The results of this test can indicate a potential problem when taken in combination with other risk factors. The usual cholesterol test is the lipoprotein profile. Cholesterol is made in your body by your liver.

Cholesterol is a fatty substance that combines with protein and travels in bile into the intestine where it is absorbed and enters the bloodstream to help make and maintain cells, make hormones and strengthens nerves. However, bad cholesterol builds plaque in the arteries blocking blood flow and causes heart disease and heart attacks.

The Importance of Your Cholesterol Reading

If you are older than 20 of age, your doctor has probably already taken a cholesterol test as part of a physical exam. You should have probably already had your cholesterol reading explained to you and, if necessary; have discussed any necessary actions you need to take to change your lifestyle. You should understand how your cholesterol reading impacts your life by now.

The Numbers

The results of the test will show cholesterol numbers such as low density lipoprotein (LDL), high density protein (HDL) and triglycerides as well as the total of all cholesterol. LDL is bad cholesterol. The density is the ratio of fatty cholesterol to protein.

Low density means that the ratio of protein is low and the cholesterol is high in fat. HDL, of course is the good cholesterol with high protein ratios. Triglycerides are fats traveling in the blood. Extra calories, alcohol and sugar convert to triglycerides and are stored in fat cells. So far, only the HDL is good.

Your cholesterol reading should have LDL levels under 100 for the best results and below 130 is still acceptable. LDL is the bad cholesterol and you should keep that number low. If your cholesterol reading shows LDL of 130 or above, your doctor will suggest some action for you to improve the diet or exercise.

Your cholesterol reading should have HDL levels over 60. You have to keep HDL number high. If you are a man and your HDL is below 40 (50 for a woman); your doctor will provide you advices to improve it. Your cholesterol reading for triglycerides should be under 150. Lastly, your total cholesterol reading should be below 200.

Understanding the Cause of Your High Cholesterol

Your doctor will ask you about your important cholesterol information. Know your numbers: Get a cholesterol test and find out how much HDL and LDL cholesterol you have. Like so many other medical problems, high cholesterol is made worse by smoking.

Your medical history also played an important part for the cholesterol information. If you found that your blood pressure is high, it may be due to high cholesterol. Some medical conditions, such as diabetes, can increase cholesterol as well. Your family medical history is just as important.

While you may not know the cholesterol numbers of your families, their medical conditions can give your doctor a good idea of possible problems and whether they can be avoided by change of lifestyle or will require medication.

Information about your lifestyle is also important: To play your part well, you should have a healthy diet, keep your weight under control and exercise regularly..

However, your body needs some cholesterol to function and your liver manufactures it. Good cholesterol information includes where to find cholesterol in your food. Since cholesterol comes from your liver, a good rule of thumb is if your food had a liver, it contains cholesterol.

As for dairy products, cholesterol is found in the fat part of the food. Whole milk contains more cholesterol than non-fat milk. Cholesterol also found in the egg yolks. If your food has a nutrition label, look at the listing for saturated fat. The best amount is zero grams. Besides meat and dairy products, palm and cocoanut oils contain saturated fats.

Here’s some good cholesterol information: polyunsaturated fats are not bad for you unless they are hydrogenated. This is done to keep them stable in manufactured foods.

Get the cholesterol information you need now to stay healthy.

Author: Cindy Heller
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Provided by: Import duty tariff

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