Three types of lipids in your bloodstream affect your heart health: low-density lipoprotein, high-density lipoprotein and triglycerides. Low-density lipoprotein, LDL or "bad" cholesterol, and triglycerides can accumulate in your arteries and increase your risk of suffering a stroke or heart attack. High-density lipoprotein, HDL or "good" cholesterol, helps remove LDL cholesterol and triglycerides from your system. The balance, or ratio, between HDL cholesterol and triglycerides proves vital to your heart health.
Triglyceride-HDL Cholesterol Ratios
Aim to achieve a 2:1 ratio between your triglycerides and HDL cholesterol. A lower ratio is fine, but higher ratios may prove dangerous. If you owned two cars and one bicycle, your car-bicycle ratio would equal 2:1. If your triglycerides measure 150 mg/dl -- milligrams per deciliter of blood -- and your HDL cholesterol measures 75 mg/dl -- you enjoy a healthy 2:1 triglyceride-HDL cholesterol ratio. At higher ratios, your HDL gets overworked and can't keep up with the overload of triglyceride. A 4:1 ratio puts you at high risk of heart disease and a 6:1 ratio puts you at very high risk.
Healthy Triglyceride and HDL Cholesterol Levels
If you keep your triglycerides and HDL cholesterol at healthy levels, you will maintain an optimal ratio. Strive to keep your triglyceride levels between 100 mg/dl and 150 mg/dl and your HDL cholesterol levels above 60 mg/dl. In April 2011, the American Heart Association lowered its recommendation for triglyceride levels to 100 mg/dl, but 150 mg/dl remains the generally accepted target number. If your triglycerides measure 150 mg/dl, keep your HDL cholesterol at 75 mg/dl or higher to maintain a healthy 2:1 ratio. Diet and lifestyle changes can help you achieve low ratios.
Recommendations
The American Heart Association says you can reduce your triglycerides by 50 percent through diet and exercise. And some measures to reduce triglycerides will also help boost your HDL cholesterol, improving your ratios. The AHA diet limits saturated fat to 16 g a day and trans fat to 2 g per day. You should limit your calories obtained from sugar-added foods to 5 percent to 10 percent of your daily calories. And if you drink alcohol, you should restrict intake to one or two drinks a day.
Considerations
To limit saturated fat, choose lean protein and low-fat dairy. To limit trans fat, an artificial fat that can harm both triglyceride and HDL levels, replace margarine and shortening with olive oil and other vegetable oils. Drink less soda and eat commercial baked goods in small quantities. Obtain most of your sugar from fruit, but watch your intake of dried and tropical fruits. Exercise moderately about 30 minutes a day -- at least 150 minutes per week.
References
- MayoClinic.com: High Cholesterol; June 24, 2010
- Your Medical Detective: Better Know Your Triglyceride/HDL Ratio If You Want to Avoid a Heart Attack; Ronald Grisanti
- American Heart Association: Diet, Lifestyle Changes Can Significantly Reduce Triglyceride; April 18 2011
- MayoClinic.com: Healthy Diet: End the Guesswork With These Nutrition Guidelines; February 2011
