Cholesterol level---along with your weight, blood pressure, and tobacco use---is an important factor for doctors to determine your risk of developing cardiovascular disease. High levels of cholesterol can put you at a greater risk of developing heart disease. However, not all cholesterol is the same. Certain forms of cholesterol can actually be good for your health. As a result, it is important to understand the importance of both HDL (good) and LDL (bad) cholesterol and to understand how they, along with other factors, can affect your health.
Step 1
Know your total cholesterol. Your total cholesterol level is important for determining how important your LDL and HDL levels are. Your ideal total cholesterol level should be less than 200 milligrams per deciliter. Between 200 and 239 is considered borderline high, and anything over 240 milligrams per deciliter is considered to be high, which means that you are at a high risk for cardiovascular disease and you should consider taking measures to lower your cholesterol.
Step 2
Identify your LDL cholesterol levels. LDL stands for low-density lipoprotein, and LDL cholesterol is the "bad" form of cholesterol. Ideally, your LDL levels should be below 100 milligrams per deciliter, with 100 to 129 being considered "near optimal." 130 to 159 milligrams per deciliter is considered to be borderline high, and anything over 160 milligrams per deciliter is considered to be high. High LDL levels put you at a higher risk of developing cardiovascular disease.
Step 3
Know your HDL cholesterol levels. HDL (high-density lipoprotein) cholesterol is the "good" cholesterol. High levels of HDl cholesterol can actually protect you from cardiovascular disease. HDL cholesterol levels above 60 milligrams per deciliter are considered to be good. The average man has HDL levels between 40 and 50 milligrams per deciliter, and the average woman has 50 to 60 milligrams per deciliter. Anything below that is considered to be abnormally low.
