Lipids are fat-like substances in your body that affect the ability of blood to travel to your heart and other vital organs. Two lipids, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and triglycerides, tend to clog in your arteries and impair blood flow. A third lipid, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, improves blood flow by cleaning the other lipids from your system. Ratios help explain the balance between lipids that clog and clean your arteries.
Triglyceride-HDL Cholesterol Ratios
Your high-density lipoprotein, HDL, cholesterol can effectively remove triglycerides from your system when the ratio between triglycerides and HDL cholesterol is 2:1 or less. If your triglycerides measure 100 mg/dl -- milligrams per deciliter of blood -- and your HDL cholesterol measures 50 mg/dl, this would give you a healthy 2:1 ratio. Higher ratios overburden your HDL cholesterol and put you at greater risk for heart attacks and strokes. A triglyceride-HDL ratio of 4:1 puts you at high risk, and a ratio of 6:1 puts you at very high risk.
Healthy Triglyceride and HDL Cholesterol Levels
To protect your heart health, aim to keep your triglycerides below 150 mg/dl. In April 2011 the American Heart Association reduced its recommended triglyceride level to 100 mg/dl or less, but 150 mg/dl remains the standard "safe" level of triglycerides. Triglyceride levels above 200 mg/dl put you at a high risk, and levels above 500 mg/dl put you at very high risk. Aim to keep your HDL cholesterol above 60 mg/dl. With HDL levels of 60 mg/dl, your body could safely handle triglyceride levels of 120 mg/dl, based on the 2:1 ratio.
Diet
Changes to your diet can help improve the ratio of triglycerides to HDL cholesterol in your body. Eat fewer foods that contain triglycerides or foods that easily convert to triglycerides in your bloodstream. Saturated fat and trans fat in your diet add to your triglyceride levels. The American Heart Association recommends you limit your intake of saturated fat, found mostly in animal products and tropical oils, to 16 g daily. Limit consumption of trans fat, found in margarine and shortening, to 2 g a day. Excess sugar and alcohol in your diet easily converts to triglycerides. Limit your sugar intake to 5 percent to 10 percent of your daily calories, and drink no more than one or two alcoholic beverages a day.
Exercise
Exercise can improve your triglyceride-to-HDL cholesterol ratio. Exercise both boosts HDL and lowers triglycerides. Engage in moderate exercise about 30 minutes most days -- 150 minutes of more per week. Brisk walking counts as moderate exercise. If you've been inactive, ask your doctor before launching an exercise program and begin gradually. You don't need to purchase expensive equipment or join a gym; you just need to get your body moving on a regular basis. Join a class if you like structure or want to learn a new form of exercise. Join a group if you like to socialize during workouts.
