For optimal heart health, you want to keep your triglycerides and your LDL cholesterol, also known as the "bad" cholesterol, low. Both triglycerides and cholesterol can clog your arteries and increase your risk of heart attacks and strokes. You want to attain or maintain a high level of HDL cholesterol. This "good" cholesterol helps your body eliminate LDL cholesterol and triglycerides through your liver.
Calculation of Total Cholesterol
Your total cholesterol is the measure of three substances in your bloodstream: low-density lipoprotein (LDL), high-density lipoprotein (HDL) and triglycerides. Your total cholesterol number is your of LDL cholesterol level added to your HDL level plus 20 percent of your triglycerides. For example, if your LDL cholesterol measures 100, your HDL cholesterol measures 50 and your triglycerides are 100, your total cholesterol would equal 170, calculated by adding 100 + 50 + 20.
Recommendations
MayoClinic.com recommends that you keep your total cholesterol below 200 mg/dL. Scores higher than 240 mg/dL signal a high risk of developing heart disease. Scores between 200 and 240 indicate a moderate to moderately high risk. If your total cholesterol measures higher than 240 mg/dL, your chance of developing coronary heart disease is twice as high as a person whose total cholesterol measures lower than 200 mg/dL, according to the American Heart Association.
Healthy Cholesterol Numbers
Your total cholesterol reflects its individual components, so it's important that you keep all of your numbers at healthy levels. If you're a young, healthy adult, aim to keep your LDL cholesterol below 130 mg/dL. Keep it much lower -- 70 mg/dL or less -- if you've had a heart attack or stroke. You should also aim for the lower number if two of more risk factors for heart disease apply to you. Factors include your age, weight, family history of heart disease and high blood pressure. A healthy triglyceride score measures 150 mg/dL or lower. Your HDL cholesterol ideally measures above 60 mg/dL. As women age, their lower estrogen levels can lower their HDL levels. Scores below 50 mg/dL could signal trouble for women older than 50. Men should keep their HDL levels higher than 40 mg/dL.
Ways to Improve Cholesterol
Your diet and lifestyle affect your cholesterol levels and your heart health. You can help improve all of your cholesterol numbers by losing weight. Getting more exercise can improve your HDL cholesterol. You can improve your triglyceride levels by consuming less sugar and limiting trans fat, found in margarine and shortening, to no more than 2 g daily. Your total cholesterol may also show marked improvement if you consume less saturated fat, found in animal products and tropical oils, and cholesterol, found in eggs, dairy, seafood and meat.
References
- MayoClinic.com; High Cholesterol; June 24 2010
- Texas Heart Institute; Cholesterol; July 2010
- American Heart Association; What Your Cholesterol Levels Mean; February 2011
- University of California Berkeley Wellness Letter: Answering 9 of Your Cholesterol Questions
- MayoClinic.com; Healthy Diet: End the Guesswork With These Nutrition Guidelines; February 2011
