What Do Your Cholesterol Numbers Mean?

Everyone age 20 and older should have their cholesterol measured at least once every 5 years. It is best to have a blood test called a “lipoprotein profile” to find out your cholesterol numbers.

This blood test is done after a 9- to 12-hour fast and gives information about your:

• Total cholesterol
• LDL (bad) cholesterol – the main source of cholesterol buildup and blockage in the arteries
• HDL (good) cholesterol – helps keep cholesterol from building up in the arteries
• Triglycerides – another form of fat in your blood

If you cannot get a lipoprotein profile done, knowing your total cholesterol and HDL cholesterol can give you a general idea about your cholesterol numbers.

If your total cholesterol is 200 mg/dL* or more or if your HDL is less than 40 mg/dL, you will need to have a lipoprotein profile done.

See how your cholesterol numbers compare to the tables below.

HDL (good) cholesterol protects against heart disease, so for HDL, higher numbers are better.

A level less than 40 mg/dL is low and is considered a major risk factor because it increases your risk for developing heart disease. HDL levels of 60 mg/dL or more help to lower your risk for heart disease.

Triglycerides can also raise heart disease risk. Levels that are borderline high (150-199 mg/dL) or high (200 mg/dL or more) may need treatment in some people.

Lowering Your Cholesterol Numbers By Dieting

There are many factors that play integral parts to maintaining a healthy lifestyle. One of the most important ways to lower your cholesterol numbers is by changing your diet.

The low cholesterol diet is a low saturated-fat, low-cholesterol eating plan that calls for less than 7 percent of calories from satrated fat and less than 200 mg of dietary cholesterol per day.

The LC diet recommends only enough calories to maintain a desirable weight and avoid weight gain.

If your LDL is not lowered enough by reducing saturated fat and cholesterol intakes, the amount of soluble fiber in your diet can be increased.

Certain food products that contain plant stanols or plant sterols (for example, cholesterollowering margarines) can also be added to the LC diet to boost its LDL-lowering power.

Going on a diet is not something to be taken lightly.  It is indeed a lifestyle change, that not only you, but perhaps your entire family can go on.  Having others to support you while on a diet can be beneficial, as you have a support team to be by your side every step of the way.

Low cholesterol diets are not only healthy, but can be a life changing experience for anyone.