An important component of managing and preventing heart disease is keeping your cholesterol and triglyceride levels low. Both are easily tested through a blood sample taken at your doctor's office, a clinic and there are even home models. You will be given your results in numbers that tell if your levels are high or normal. Keeping your levels in the normal range will help to lower your risk for heart disease, heart attack and stroke.
Identification
Cholesterol is produced by your body and you get it from the foods you eat. Too much cholesterol in your blood stream can clog your arteries and reduce the amount of blood and oxygen your heart and brain receive. Triglycerides are a form of fat that is produced by the body and it is found in foods you eat. According to the American Heart Association (AHA), keeping your cholesterol and triglycerides levels within a normal range is important, since high levels increase your chances of coronary artery disease, heart attack or stroke. They also state that "Elevated triglycerides may be a consequence of other disease, such as untreated diabetes mellitus." Both are measured in milligrams (mg) of cholesterol or triglycerides per deciliter (dL) of blood.
Triglycerides
Experts at the AHA state that your level of triglycerides should be tested after an overnight food and alcohol fast. If your reading is 150 mg/dL or less, then your triglyceride level is considered normal. Borderline high is a reading of 150 mg/dL to 199 mg/dL.
Cholesterol
The National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute medical experts state that "It is best to have a blood test called a lipoprotein profile to measure your cholesterol levels. You will need to not eat or drink anything (fast) for nine to 12 hours before taking the test." This test will show your total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein (LDL), high-density lipoprotein (HDL), and triglyceride levels. Your total cholesterol level is considered normal if your reading is less than 200 mg/dL. When you reach 200 to 239 mg/dL you are borderline high. For LDLs, you should aim for a reading of less than 100 mg/dL. Normal is 100 to 129 mg/dL. When it comes to HDLs, 40 to 59 mg/dL is acceptable but 60 mg/dL and above may actually protect you against heart disease.
Considerations
When it comes to cholesterol your aim is to lower your LDL levels and raise your HDL levels. LDLs are considered the "bad" kind of cholesterol because they help your body store excess fat and cholesterol. HDLs are considered the "good" kind because they help your body excrete the excess fat and cholesterol. So while there are normal and acceptable results, you can decrease your risk for disease even more if your LDLs are lower then normal level and your HDLs are higher then normal level.
Prevention
According to the experts at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), "There are a number of things that can be done to maintain normal cholesterol levels and reduce the risk of developing heart disease. All people at any age can take steps to keep normal cholesterol levels." These steps include losing excess weight, being physically active, eating a healthy diet and stop smoking. The CDC also recommends that you should have your cholesterol and triglyceride levels checked since both can be high without symptoms. The National Cholesterol Education Program recommends that healthy adults have their levels checked once every five years unless your doctor recommends otherwise.
