subject: Normal cholesterol levels - What you must know [print this page] Normal cholesterol levels - What you must know
When a person maintains a normal cholesterol level they are greatly reducing the risk of heart disease, blocked arteries, and other conditions that are often life threatening. Many people don't realize that they have high cholesterol until they have a specific test. However, there are many steps you can take to ensure that you keep your cholesterol at a healthy level that do not require a lot of effort. When you maintain your cholesterol levels at a healthy level, you are more likely to have better overall health.
To test your cholesterol levels, your doctor will draw blood and do what's called a lipid fat test. In this test, they'll check for triglycerides, high density lipid protein and low density lipid protein (a bad fat). When measuring your cholesterol levels, they are measured as milligrams of cholesterol per deciliter of blood - so, mg/dL.
Newly revised guidelines from the American Heart Association have changed the cholesterol levels that are considered to be healthy. The guidelines look at three key components to blood cholesterol: the Low Density Lipoprotein (LDL), High Density Lipoprotein (HDL), and Total Cholesterol readings.
Bad cholesterol and Good cholesterol
LDL cholesterol is the so-called bad cholesterol. It should ideally be kept below 100 mg/dL. HDL cholesterol is the good cholesterol and should be raised to at least 40 mg/dL. Total cholesterol levels below 200 mg/dL are considered healthy. Equally as important to these single readings is the ratio between LDL and HDL. Even if LDL is in the healthy range, if HDL is too low then the ratio is will be off. If this is the case, steps need to be taken to adjust even single readings that are not within the ideal range.
Cholesterol lowering diet
Cholesterol lowering diet plays an important role in a person's overall health. In additional to getting important vitamins and nutrients that help the body to function effectively, the diet can be used to maintain normal cholesterol levels. There are some foods that are more effective in reducing cholesterol than others. Besides making a person gain weight, fatty foods also cause many other physical issues including high cholesterol.
A healthy diet when combined with a nominal amount of daily exercise can help bring you back to a normal cholesterol level. To maintain that level, continue to eat well, cut back on smoking and coffee, and engage in daily exercise.
