Cholesterol and triglycerides are types of lipids that your body needs to function. Cholesterol is not technically a fat, it's a waxy substance used to build cell membranes and produce hormones. Triglycerides are a type of fat that store energy for use overnight or between meals. High levels of both types of lipids can increase your risk of certain diseases, including coronary artery disease and stroke.
Cholesterol Ratio Basics
There are two types of cholesterol -- "bad" low-density lipoproteins, called LDL cholesterol, and "good" high-density lipoproteins, or HDL cholesterol. Your cholesterol level is the sum of these two types and your cholesterol ratio is calculated by dividing your HDL level into the total cholesterol number. According to the American Heart Association, your total cholesterol level should be below 200 mg/dL. Ideally your LDL cholesterol is below 150 mg/dL and your HDL level is at least 60 mg/dL. The higher your HDL cholesterol is, the better, as HDL helps protect you from heart disease. An average cholesterol ratio is 4:1, but the lower the ratio, the better. For example, if your total cholesterol level is 180 mg/dL and your HDL is 60 mg/dL and your LDL is 120 mg/dL, you would have an ideal ratio of 3:1.
Changing Your Ratio
You can improve your cholesterol ratio through a combination of lowering LDL levels and raising HDL levels. This can often be done with diet and lifestyle changes and without the use of drugs. Maintaining a healthy body weight is important. Try to eat a high-fiber diet that includes lean proteins, carbohydrates low on the glycemc index and unsaturated fats. Harvard Medical School states that moderate exercise 30 minutes daily, five days a week, can raise HDL levels by up to 10 percent. Stop smoking and your HDL levels could increase by as much as 20 percent. Lower your LDL cholesterol by avoiding trans fats, saturated fats and dietary cholesterol.
Triglyceride Basics
Calories you eat are converted to energy -- energy not needed immediately is stored as triglycerides for later use. It's important to have some triglycerides stored in your fat cells for your body to burn for fuel when you're sleeping or between meals. All foods can be converted to triglycerides, so overeating even healthy foods, such as fruits and whole grains, can lead to an increase in triglyceride levels. Ideally your triglyceride level should be below 150 mg/dL. High triglycerides combined with a high cholesterol ratio increase your risk of heart disease.
Lowering Triglyceride Levels
Triglyceride levels respond well to dietary and lifestyle changes. Often, people with high triglycerides are overweight -- eating a balanced diet that includes lean protein can lower triglycerides and help you lose weight. Fish high in omega-3 polyunsaturated fats can lower triglycerides, too. Limit sugar and carbohydrates that rapidly increase your blood sugar level -- use the glycemic index as a guide and choose low-GI foods. The Cleveland Clinic recommends you limit sugar to no more than 8 percent of your diet. Read food labels carefully and limit foods that have any type of sugar listed in the first few ingredients.
