Cholesterol: good, bad and necessary. This natural substance is one of the many your body uses to stay healthy. Keeping a normal level of high-density lipoprotein, or HDL, cholesterol and healthy levels of total cholesterol, can help reduce your risks of certain serious diseases, such as heart disease and stroke.
The Basics
Cholesterol is a fatty, waxy substance that is both naturally produced by the body and consumed in the foods we eat. Your liver and cells make about 75 percent of the cholesterol needed and the other 25 percent comes from animal products you eat, according to the American Heart Association. Cholesterol levels are dictated by both family history and diet, and can be controlled through both medication and diet and exercise.
HDL and LDL
There are two types of cholesterol: high-density lipoprotein, or HDL, and low-density lipoprotein, or LDL cholesterol. HDL is classified as the "good" cholesterol and LDL as the "bad" cholesterol. When you have too much LDL in the bloodstream, it can stick to the walls of the arteries and turn in to plaque. This plaque can narrow or block arteries, causing heart disease. HDL can keep the LDL from becoming lodged in the arteries and can subsequently lower the risk of heart attack and stroke.
Normal Cholesterol Levels and LDL Levels
The most common measurement of cholesterol in the blood is called the total blood cholesterol, it's measured in milligrams per deciliter of blood or mg/dl and found through a blood test. For total cholesterol and LDL, the lower the number, the better indicator of health. An ideal total cholesterol level would be less than 200mg/dl, between 200 and 239mg/dl is borderline high and above 240mg/dl is high. An ideal LDL level would be less than 100mg/dl and up to 129mg/dl is considered optimal, 160 to 189mg/dl would be high and over 190mg/dl would be very high. According to the American Heart Association, it is important for a physician to interpret your particular results, taking into account other risk factors and family history.
Healthy HDL Levels
For HDL levels, the higher the number, the better indicator of health. An ideal HDL level of 60mg/dl or above is considered to fight heart disease, less than 40mg/dl for men or less than 50mg/dl for women is considered weak at fighting disease. Again, according to the American Heart Association, it is important for a physician to interpret these results based on your individual risk factors and family history.
Increasing HDL Levels
Because low levels of HDL have been shown to increase the risk for coronary disease, your doctor may want to increase low levels. According to the American Heart Association, regular physical activity increases HDL levels. Eating a balanced diet and reducing trans fats or saturated fats also increases HDL levels. If HDL levels wont rise through diet and lifestyle changes, your doctor may prescribe medication.
