After getting a cholesterol screening, you are presented with three numbers: total blood cholesterol, LDL level and HDL level. These numbers are meant to inform you of your possible risk for heart disease, stroke and heart attack. It is important to understand the differences in these numbers; after all, not all cholesterol is bad.
Types
Your cholesterol is made up of two numbers: low-density lipoprotein, or LDL, and high-density lipoprotein, or HDL. LDL carries cholesterol from the liver to the rest of the body. During transport, cells from different bodily tissues attach themselves to the LDL and extract fat from them. HDL on the other hand help monitor how much fat and cholesterol is in your blood by absorbing fat and cholesterol from the LDL as well as cleaning the fat and cholesterol off your arterial walls and transporting it back to the liver to be disposed of as waste.
Significance of High Cholesterol
If your LDL level is too high, the fat and cholesterol carried by the LDL attach to your arteries. Over time, this fat hardens and turns into plaque. Plaque narrows the blood flow of your arteries and greatly increases your risk for heart disease and stroke. If your HDL level is low, this good cholesterol is unable to process the increased amounts of fat and cholesterol in your blood. HDL levels below 40 mg/dL increase the risk of heart disease.
Ratio
Ideally you want your total blood cholesterol to be below 200 mg/dL. Of that 200 mg, you want to keep your LDL level below 129 mg. If your LDL is above this number, you are putting yourself at risk for heart disease and stroke. Keeping your HDL levels above 60 mg/dL is considered to be protective against heart disease, according to the American Heart Association.
Misconceptions
Cholesterol itself is not bad. Seventy-five percent of your cholesterol is produced by your liver, while the other 25 percent is obtained from the foods you eat. If you get a blood screening done and are at first alarmed because your total blood cholesterol is over 200, examine the breakdown of your cholesterol between your LDL and HDL levels. If your LDL is below 129 and your HDL is 80, which is what is pushing you over 200 mg, this is OK; increased HDL levels help lower your bad cholesterol.
Prevention/Solution
Diet and exercise are the leading factors in preventing or reducing high cholesterol. A diet rich in fruits, vegetables and fiber as well as lean protein choices will help keep your LDL levels in check. Decreasing or restricting your intake of trans and saturated fats will greatly reduce your chance for heart disease. Replacing these types of fats with monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats will reduce your risk for heart disease and stroke by increasing your HDL and lowering your LDL. Participating in daily moderate intensity exercise for 20 to 30 minutes helps increase your HDL levels, which in turn decreases your LDL levels.
