Healthy Tips to Lower Cholesterol
Latest Articles
Age old ayurvedic remedy to check that extra cholesterolNowadays cholesterol has become a serious threat by claiming almost 46% of deaths around the world that too due to cholesterol and coronary heart diseases. Cholesterol is nothing but a fatty, waxy and lipid substance circulating in the body in ...
Killer Cheeseburgers, Cholesterol and Common Sense
If I could pronounce it right, I would call cholesterol onomatopoeic. It’s a word that, to me at least, conjures up clogged arteries, fried foods and early death. I probably stand alone on this but when I pronounce it, it sounds like the passage of...
The Cholesterol Solution
Is there an alternative to statin drugs such as Lipitor and Pravachol? If yes, does it have any side effects? Physicians are facing these questions each day however, most have bought into the drug companies marketing, and have not done the...
What is the Ideal Cholesterol Ratio?
When a patient's cholesterol levels are determined, it is useful to consider the results in terms of the cholesterol ratio as well as the total amount of cholesterol present in the blood. This is because the different components play very different roles in the formation and buildup of cholesterol in the arteries. Knowledge of their concentrations relative to one another and to the total cholesterol present can provide a more accurate indication of a patient's risk of developing heart disease.
What are cholesterol numbers?
Blood cholesterol tests are able to distinguish between and measure the concentrations of three different types of cholesterol in the blood: LDL (low density lipoprotein), HDL (high density lipoprotein), and VLDL (very low density lipoprotein).
The concentration of each of these, measured in milligrams/deciliter, determines the corresponding cholesterol numbers, and the total is equal to the sum of all three. Test results are often given in terms of a total cholesterol number and a cholesterol ratio representing either Total/HDL or LDL/HDL.
Low-density LDL cholesterol, commonly referred to as "bad" cholesterol, is strongly linked to the development of cardiovascular disease. Elevated levels of both LDL and VLDL in the blood can lead to a buildup of plaque along artery walls, causing them over time to narrow and harden (this is called atherosclerosis).
The higher-density HDL cholesterol, on the other hand, is able to pick up excess LDL and VLDL that have accumulated both in the blood and along arterial walls. For this service, we give it the name "good" cholesterol and as such it is one of the cholesterol numbers we'd like to keep as high as possible. With high HDL, your Total/HDL and LDL/HDL cholesterol ratios will be as low as possible,
which will significantly lower your risk of developing coronary heart disease.
Maintaining healthy cholesterol levels
In order for patients to better understand their cholesterol profile results and maintain healthy cholesterol levels, doctors have established guidelines for cholesterol numbers.
For total cholesterol, less than 200 mg/dl is optimal, and the total level should be kept below 240 mg/dl to avoid the risk of heart disease. For LDL, less than 100 mg/dl is optimal, and the total level should be kept below 160 mg/dl.
Finally, a healthy HDL cholesterol level is set above 60 mg/dl, and should be kept above 40 mg/dl for men and above 50 mg/dl for women to prevent excessive LDL accumulation in the blood and along the artery walls.
These cholesterol number guidelines can be used to determine healthy cholesterol ratios as well. For example, a patient with total cholesterol number 200, LDL number 100, and HDL number 60 has a Total/HDL cholesterol ratio of 200/60 and an LDL/HDL ratio of 100/60. This gives an optimal Total/HDL ratio of about 3.3:1 and an optimal LDL/HDL ratio of about 1.7:1.
It is important to maintain healthy cholesterol levels to lower your risk of cardiovascular disease. As such, you should have your cholesterol checked regularly to see where you stand. After all, your health depends on it!
David Bloom is an avid health enthusiast and contributor to several health sites, including Healthy Heart Guide - Cholesterol Ratio and Herbal Supplements Guide - Heart Health. Find out more information about maintaining healthy cholesterol levels on these sites.
Written By: David Bloom
One In Five May Not Know They Have HIV - WFTV
WASHINGTON -- Two years after the government urged making HIV tests as common as cholesterol checks, there are small gains but still one in five people infected with the AIDS virus doesn't know it, scientists said Thursday. Eleven states that once ...
One In Five May Not Know They Have HIV - WFTV
WASHINGTON -- Two years after the government urged making HIV tests as common as cholesterol checks, there are small gains but still one in five people infected with the AIDS virus doesn't know it, scientists said Thursday. Eleven states that once ...
Study: Cholesterol drugs could help those with healthy levels - CNN
(CNN) -- Healthy men and women with good cholesterol levels could significantly reduce their risk of heart disease by taking cholesterol-lowering drugs, better known as statins, according to a study released Sunday. Today, only people with high ...
Ask Dr. H: Cholesterol fluctuates often - Philadelphia Inquirer
Question: I am a thin, 55-year-old female in good health other than mild treated hypothyroidism. My cholesterol profile just two months ago showed an LDL ("bad") cholesterol level of 79. I just received results showing an LDL of 94 from the same lab ...
Answer may not be drugs, but it's surely lower cholesterol - Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
For local cardiologists, the results of last week's groundbreaking study on heart disease and cholesterol drugs reaffirmed a long, firmly held belief: Lower cholesterol levels can save lives. "This is a drum that has to be beaten with certain ...