What Does Hdl Cholesterol Do
HDL clears from the body via the liver. HDL may therefore prevent the buildup of plaque, protect your arteries, and protect you from atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. It is considered the good cholesterol, and higher levels are better. A good goal to aim for is higher than 55 mg/dL for women and 45 mg/dL for men. The higher your HDL cholesterol numbers, the lower your risk is for heart disease, vascular disease, and stroke.
High Cholesterol: Nutritionist Reveals Top Prevention Tips
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High cholesterol means you have too much cholesterol – a waxy substance produced inside the liver – in your arteries. Cholesterol is needed to build healthy cells but having too much of it can clog up your arteries. Unfortunately, symptoms do not typically arise until high cholesterol causes complications.
Ldl Cholesterol Ratio From Good To Bad
Now on to the LDL cholesterol, which is the bad stuff that can cause serious problems if it getsout of control.
Here is what you should think when your doctor tells you:
- Your LDL cholesterol is lower than 100Yipee! I have been doing everything I can to stay healthy, and it is reflected in my very low cholesterol.
- Your LDL cholesterol is between 100 and 129Hmm, okay-ish but I might have to start being careful of what I eat in order to avoid causing my cholesterol levels to get any higher.
- Your LDL cholesterol is between 100 and 159Im getting into dangerous ground here. I had better dust off my sweat pants and start doing more regular exercise.
- Your LDL cholesterol is between 159 and 189If I dont start being very careful and cutting back on everything that could cause high cholesterol, I am in danger of a serious heart problem.
- Your LDL cholesterol is higher than 190I had better get on it right away before I keel over from a heart attack or stroke on my way out of the doctors office.
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How To Read Your Lipid Panel Results
Most people dont think about their cholesterol levels until a doctor orders a lipid panel for them. There are no symptoms of having high cholesterol. Thats how you can go from living your life normally one day and having your whole world turned upside down the next. If your lipid panel results come back high, what do you do? Heck, what does these numbers even mean? And while were at it, whats a lipid anyway?
Lets take that last one first. Lipids are fat-like substances found in your blood and body tissues. You need them in order for your body to function at all. There are several types of lipids in our bodies. While they are usually used as a substitution for the word fats, the strict definition is a substance that can dissolve in alcohol, but not in water. Cholesterol and triglycerides are considered lipids, but so are fatty acids and steroids.
For a long time, cholesterol was considered just one thing. Then, it was broken down into good cholesterol, which is really HDL, which stands for High Density Lipoprotein and bad cholesterol, which is really LDL, which stands for Low Density Lipoprotein. Cholesterol as a whole is not bad. Part of why there are diets that recommend avoiding cholesterol in your foods is because our livers actually make all the cholesterol we need to build cells. So, whatever cholesterol our bodies get from food is above and beyond what we need.
Getting Help For Your Child
If you are worried about your child’s weight, consider consulting with a registered dietitian or expressing your concerns with your pediatrician.
Children can benefit from getting involved in meal planning, shopping, and cooking, reducing intake of sweetened beverages, and learning how to eat more fruits and vegetables. Being a good role model and getting the entire family on board is also important for making changes and providing your child with confidence.
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Can You Lower Triglycerides Naturally Without Drugs
Triglycerides can be lowered without drugs. For example, they can be lowered naturally through diet changes, decreasing consumption of alcohol or sugary beverages, by increasing physical activity, by losing weight, and other ways. As little as 5% to 10% reduction in body weight may lower triglycerides.
Cholesterol tests are blood tests that measure the amount of cholesterol in the body. The health care professional may order only a cholesterol test with results showing:
In addition to cholesterol level, the health-care professional also may order a lipid profile test. The lipid profile test will also measure triglyceride levels and another fatty substance found in the blood.
High Cholesterol Sign To Spot With Simple Shin Test That Takes Seconds
High levels of cholesterol in the blood can increase your risk for conditions like angina , high blood pressure and stroke. You can check your levels at home with a simple test
A simple test that takes seconds and can be done at home could help people work out if they have high cholesterol.
Good cholesterol is called high-density lipoprotein – this absorbs cholesterol and sends it back to the liver to flush it from the body.
Bad cholesterol, in contrast, is called low-density lipoprotein and is linked to diets heavy in saturated fats, like red meat, processed food, cake and fried dishes.
LDL sticks to the walls of your blood vessels, forming a plaque that increases your risk of heart disease and stroke.
Many people who are obese or have diabetes also have high cholesterol.
Knowing your cholesterol levels is vital – so too is making the right changes to your lifestyle to lower your LDL and reduce your risk of life-changing illness.
This can even be done at home with a simple test.
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Your cholesterol levels, both good and bad, are a measure of your heart health.
They can help guide you to make decisions about your lifestyle that will have wide-ranging positive consequences.
Conducting the shin test can help you determine whether you have high cholesterol levels or even coronary heart disease due to the increased cholesterol amounts, says Dr Monika Wassermann.
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Are Home Cholesterol Testing Kits Accurate
The answer is yes if the tests are labeled CDC-certified. This means that the contents have been approved by the Cholesterol Reference Method Laboratory Network, a group that works with test makers, laboratories and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to make sure tests are accurate.
For home tests, you will still need to fast for 12 hours and to obtain blood for testing. Some kits come with packages for mailing to a lab for results. Other kits have a monitor so you can get the results at home. The cost of such home kits varies.
Find Out Your Heart Age With The Heart Age Tool
Once you have your cholesterol results you can work out your risk of developing heart disease over the next 10 years using the NHS Heart Age Tool. You will get a more accurate result if you know your blood pressure numbers too. The heart age tool is designed for people aged 25 to 84.
Adults age 40-74 are also invited for NHS Health Checks which includes other simple tests to look at your heart health.
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When The Cholesterol Levels Are Out Of Sync
When your HDL cholesterol levels are high enough, your heart continues to function undisturbed by all the cholesterol in your blood, as the cholesterol is controlled and thus doesnt cause problems.
However, if the LDL cholesterol level or the triglycerides level gets out of control, the total cholesterol level in your body goes up.
High total cholesterol numbers lead to dangers, and the HDL cholesterol is unable to get rid of all the bad cholesterol on its own.
Do You Need To Lower Your Cholesterol And Triglycerides
If you have high cholesterol, high triglycerides or an unhealthy balance of blood fats, your doctor will probably recommend bringing these levels down with lifestyle changes and sometimes treatments.
Your doctor should look at your results in relation to any other risk factors for heart disease you may have such as high blood pressure, being overweight or smoking, as well as other health conditions such as diabetes.
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Where Is The Cholesterol In Food From The Transformation Of Fats
But why does beef liver contain more than ten times the cholesterol that low fat milk contains?
Where is all this cholesterol in food coming from?
The thing that causes cholesterol to be present in your food is fat, the greasy, delicious thing that makes bacon, beef steak, and sausage so tempting and so terrible for your cholesterol levels.
Fat is harder for the body to process, and the body usually turns it into cholesterol to keep the bodys mechanisms greased. Just enough fat helps to oil the gears smoothly, but too much fat makes it impossible for the body to digest everything.
When the body cant digest all the unhealthy fats, it turns it into LDL cholesterol that causes the heart problems.
The unhealthy fats like trans fats and saturated fats go straight to your arteries, and you will create a lot of cholesterol by consuming these fats. Sugar can also cause cholesterol in food, as the sugar is converted by the body to fat before anything else is.
Those that eat lots of foods that are high in fat are guaranteed to be the ones that have the highest cholesterol levels, as those foods are being converted directly into cholesterol. The lipids in the fats combine with protein particles to produce lipoproteins , and thus they are turned into cholesterol by the body.
What Types Of Cholesterol Are There
There are two different types of cholesterol including:
- “Bad Cholesterol” which carry cholesterol particles throughout your body. LDL cholesterol is bad because it builds up in the walls of your arteries, making them hard and narrow which can increase the risk of a heart attack.
- “Good Cholesterol” which picks up excess cholesterol and takes it back to the liver. Having high HDL is linked to lower risk of heart disease, heart attack, and stroke.
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When Should You Contact Your Healthcare Provider About Your Cholesterol Levels
In truth, your healthcare provider will probably talk to you about your numbers first. As always, contact your provider if you have any new or worsening pain or other uncomfortable feelings. Make sure you know what medications you take and what they are expected to do. Call the provider if you have a reaction to the medicine.
Before you go to the office, and after you have had a cholesterol test, it helps to have a list of questions prepared about your test results and any proposed treatment.
A note from Cleveland Clinic
When considering cholesterol numbers, its important to remember that you really have the ability to make those numbers go in your favor. What you choose to eat, how much you are able to move and how you deal with lifes ups and downs are things that you can influence.
Last reviewed by a Cleveland Clinic medical professional on 07/31/2020.
References
What Does Ldl Cholesterol Do
LDL is considered the bad cholesterol. It carries cholesterol to your arteries, where it may collect in the vessel walls and contribute to plaque formation, known as atherosclerosis. This can lead to decreased blood flow to the heart muscle , leg muscles , or abrupt closure of an artery in the heart or brain, leading to a heart attack or stroke. Over a third of the US population has high LDL cholesterol. Diagnosis is made via blood testing, so if you dont check, you wont know.
For LDL, the lower the number the better. A good goal to keep in mind is less than 130 mg/dL if you dont have atherosclerotic disease or diabetes. It should be no more than 100 mg/dL, or even 70mg/dL, if you have any of those conditions or high total cholesterol. Its very important to set your own target cholesterol levels with your doctor. Obesity, a large waist circumference, a sedentary lifestyle, or a diet rich in red meat, full-fat dairy, saturated fat, trans fats, and processed foods can lead to high LDL cholesterol.
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Interpreting Cholesterol Test Results
Your cholesterol results will typically be ready within a day or two. At-home cholesterol tests either offer immediate results via a monitor or come with a mailer that you use to send a blood sample to a lab in order to receive your results. Your test results will show your cholesterol levels in milligrams per deciliter of blood .
Preparation For A Cholesterol Test
In some cases, your doctor may ask you to fast before having your cholesterol levels tested. If youre only getting your HDL and total cholesterol levels checked, you may be able to eat beforehand. However, if youre having a complete lipid profile done, you should avoid eating or drinking anything other than water for nine to 12 hours before your test.
Before your test, you should also tell your doctor about:
- any symptoms or health problems youre experiencing
- your family history of heart health
- all medications and supplements that youre currently taking
If youre taking medications that could increase your cholesterol levels, such as birth control pills, your doctor may ask you to stop taking them a few days before your test.
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How Much Does The Test Cost
You may find it helpful to talk with your doctor about the costs of cholesterol testing. The cost of cholesterol testing may depend on several factors:
- What type of cholesterol test is being taken
- Whether LDL is being calculated or measured
- Insurance coverage
- Where the test is being performed
Blood testing is typically covered by insurance when prescribed by a doctor, but you may be responsible for out-of-pocket costs on copays, deductibles, or technician fees.
What Is This Test
This group of tests measures the amount of cholesterol and other fats in your blood.
Cholesterol and triglycerides are lipids, or fats. These fats are important for cell health, but they can be harmful when they build up in the blood. Sometimes they can lead to clogged, inflamed arteries, a condition call atherosclerosis. This may keep your heart from working normally if the arteries of your heart muscle are affected.
This panel of tests helps predict your risk for heart disease and stroke.
A lipid panel measures these fats:
- Total cholesterol
- Stress
- High total cholesterol
If you are already being treated for heart disease, you may have this test to see whether treatment is working.
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About Your Cholesterol Result
A cholesterol test can measure:
- total cholesterol the overall amount of cholesterol in your blood, including both good and bad cholesterol
- good cholesterol this makes you less likely to have heart problems or a stroke
- bad cholesterol this makes you more likely to have heart problems or a stroke
- triglycerides a fatty substance similar to bad cholesterol
When you get your result, you may just be told your total cholesterol.
You might be able to get separate results for your good and bad cholesterol and triglycerides. Ask your doctor or nurse.
Questions To Ask Your Doctor
If testing shows you have high cholesterol, you may want to ask your doctor these questions at your next visit.
1. What are the dangers of having high cholesterol? Can other problems develop?
2. What could have caused my cholesterol to be too high? Is it inherited?
3. Are there things I can do at home or in my life to reduce my cholesterol?
4. Is medicine necessary? Are there alternative treatments?
5. If medicine is needed, how does the medicine work?
6. How long can I take medicine? What are the side effects? Is long-term use harmful?
7. How can exercise help to lower my cholesterol?
8. Where can I learn more about how to live with high cholesterol?
9. What changes should I make to the way I eat?
10. How often do I need to get my cholesterol level checked?
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How Do You Prepare For A Cholesterol Test
In most cases, youll need to fast for nine to 12 hours before the test. Make sure you tell the person drawing your blood how long it has been since you ate or drank anything that wasnt water.
There are some cases when a cholesterol test is done without fasting. This is true for tests done at health screenings and may be true for people younger than 20 or for people who are unable to fast.
Some medical societies believe that fasting is not necessary to get a true picture of lipid levels in the blood, while other associations stand by the belief that fasting gives a better idea of a persons heart disease risk. You should be clear on whether or not you need to fast, and for how long, before you go for the blood test.
High Cholesterol: The 79c Herb In Every Irish Supermarket Shown To Lower Unhealthy Levels
Supermarkets like Tesco and SuperValu sell packs of the herb for 79c
A study has found that garlic might be the solution to people’s cholesterol problems.
High cholesterol can lead to a number of medical issues such as strokes and heart attacks.
It becomes increasingly important to motor levels especially as you get older but its not easy.
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From blood tests to diet changes, it can become difficult to know what to do but the answer could be both closer and cheaper than you might think.
The herb in question is garlic, which is widely available, costs less than a euro in most supermarkets, and can be added to a variety of meals.
Supermarkets like Tesco and SuperValu sell packs of the herb for 79c.
A study found that garlic can reduce bad cholesterol levels, which could help people keep their health in check, the Express reports.
The Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine recently conducted a meta-analysis on the potency of garlic in lowering cholesterol.
A meta-analysis is an examination of data from several independent studies on the same subject.
They found the effects of garlic intake on lowering total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein are more noticeable with lower dosage and longer duration, especially in patients with cardiovascular disease.
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