What Are Good Numbers For Cholesterol And Triglycerides

What Is High Cholesterol

There are two major forms of cholesterol: Low-density lipoprotein or LDL, also known as “bad” cholesterol, and high-density lipoprotein or HDL, also called “good” cholesterol. LDL is the main source of artery-clogging plaque. HDL, on the other hand, clears cholesterol from your blood.

Besides LDL and HDL, thereâs another kind of fat in your blood called triglycerides. Research shows that high levels of triglycerides, just like high levels of LDL, are linked to heart disease.

Your body needs cholesterol to build new cells, insulate nerves, and make hormones. Having too much, though, is a major risk for heart disease.

Ordinarily, your liver makes all the cholesterol your body needs. But you also get elevated cholesterol from food. You’ll find these in many processed foods like doughnuts, frozen pizza, cookies, and crackers. You can also get it from milk, eggs, meat, and other animal products. Over time, without your even being aware, this extra cholesterol collects inside your body and begins to do damage.

Add Coconut Oil To The Diet

Studies have shown that coconut oil may reduce appetite, increase metabolic rate, and help protect brain health, among other benefits.

Some people may be concerned about coconut oils effects on heart health due to its high saturated fat content. However, it appears that coconut oil is actually quite heart-healthy.

Some studies have shown that coconut oil tends to raise HDL cholesterol more than many other types of fat.

In addition, some studies have shown that coconut oil may improve the ratio of low-density lipoprotein , or bad, cholesterol to HDL cholesterol. Improving this ratio reduces heart disease risk .

One study examined the health effects of coconut oil consumption in 40 females with excess abdominal fat. The researchers found that those who took coconut oil daily had increased HDL cholesterol and a lower LDL-to-HDL ratio.

In contrast, the group who took soybean oil daily had a decrease in HDL cholesterol and an increase in the LDL-to-HDL ratio .

However, more recent reviews suggest that the research into coconut oil and cholesterol is of poor quality, is not conclusive, and often reports that coconut oil can raise the levels of LDL cholesterol. Therefore, more research is needed .

Most studies have found that these health benefits occur at a dosage of about 2 tbsp of coconut oil per day. It is best to incorporate this into cooking rather than eating spoonfuls of coconut oil on their own.

Medicines To Lower Your Cholesterol Level

Medicines called statins are most often used to lower cholesterol levels. There are other cholesterol-lowering medicines that your doctor might prescribe, like resins, fibrates, and niacin. If you need to take a medicine to lower your cholesterol level, your doctor will help you find the one that works best for you.

Estrogen replacement therapy lowers your bad cholesterol level and raises your good cholesterol level. However, studies have not shown that it lowers the risk of heart disease.

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A Ldl Hdl Cholesterol Chart Along With Recommended Triglyceride Numbers

A cholesterol chart provides information concerning cholesterol numbers categorized as good, moderate or bad.

The quantity of cholesterol in a blood sample is measured in milligrams per each deciliter of blood taken from an individual. The measurements of good and bad cholesterol tell a physician whether someone is suffering from high cholesterol levels, also referred to as hypercholesterolemia or hyperlipidemia, and needs immediate administrations of medication in addition to dietary and lifestyle changes in order to prevent a possible heart attack.

Why The Test Is Performed

Triglycerides are usually measured together with other blood fats. Often it is done to help determine your risk of developing heart disease. A high triglyceride level may lead to atherosclerosis, which increases your risk for heart attack and stroke.

A very high triglyceride level may also cause swelling of your pancreas .

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Understanding The Role Of Hdl Cholesterol

Although you may hear a lot about lowering cholesterol numbers, HDL cholesterol is one type of cholesterol that you want as high as possible. Thats because HDL cholesterol is thought to carry low-density lipoprotein , or bad, cholesterol away from the arteries and back to the liver, where its removed from the body.

Healthy blood cholesterol levels vary by age and gender. For women age 20 or older, experts suggest aiming for an HDL cholesterol level of 50 mg/dL or higher. For men age 20 or older, the recommendation is an HDL cholesterol level of 40 mg/dL or higher. Healthy levels are believed to offer protection against heart disease and stroke.

Patient Safety And Education

First and foremost, it is essential to educate individuals on a heart-healthy lifestyle. LDL-C is one of the major culprits in the development of atherosclerotic heart disease. The target level of LDL-C is between 50 to 70mg/dl to prevent plaque formation in the blood vessels. Patients should undergo evaluation for 10-year risk and those with more than 10 percent risk guidelines strongly recommend statin therapy. Low levels of HDL-C are related to an increased risk of CVD however, according to recent studies, HDL-C raising therapy showed no clinical benefit therefore, routine use is not recommended.

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How To Lower Triglycerides And Cholesterol Naturally

Your genes, diet, and lifestyle all affect your triglyceride and cholesterol levels. Some people naturally produce more triglycerides and cholesterol than others. This is based on their genetics and family history. Still, these levels are just part of your overall lipid levels, and lifestyle changes are one of the best ways to keep your numbers within a healthy range.

Where Do Triglycerides Come From What Are They And Why Do They Matter

Story by: Kim Huston on January 11, 2018

You may know blood pressure and cholesterol play a role in conditions like diabetes and heart disease, among others. But do you know how triglycerides fit in?

What are triglycerides?

When you eat, your body turns excess calories, alcohol or sugar into triglycerides and stores them in the blood. Many of the fatty foods we eat, such as palm oil, coconut oil and butter, have triglycerides.

What is the difference between triglycerides and cholesterol?

Cholesterol and triglycerides are different types of lipids that do different jobs. Triglycerides are fat cholesterol is not. Triglycerides provide energy to the body. Cholesterol is used to build cells and certain hormones, and helps with digestion. If you have a high level of triglycerides, it increases your risk for heart disease.

How do you check your triglyceride levels?

You can get a blood test from your doctor called a lipid profile. It shows levels of triglycerides, total cholesterol, HDL cholesterol and LDL levels. Its important not to eat at least 12 hours before the test because triglyceride levels usually are highest after you eat.

What are the guidelines for triglyceride levels?

The guidelines for fasting triglyceride levels in adults are:

• Normal: Less than 150 milligrams/deciliter
• Borderline high: 150 to 199 mg/dL
• High: 200 to 499 mg/dL
• Very high: 500 mg/dL or higher

Levels higher than 200 mg/dL are associated with an increase in risk for heart attack, stroke and death.

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The Consequences Of Too Much Bad Cholesterol

Once the bad cholesterol starts to accumulate in the bloodstream, problems begin to arise.

Sometimes the cholesterol sticks to the walls of the arteries, and it hardens into plaque. This plaque can crack the walls of the arteries, which can cause serious bleeding and clots.

Even if the plaque doesnt break, it will clog up the arteries and prevent enough blood from flowing through them.

Not enough blood means the muscles in the area are not getting enough oxygen, meaning that the muscles begin to die. If those muscles happen to be either the heart or the brain, you are in serious trouble.

Tips To A Cholesterol Lowering Foods Diet

Incorporating foods found in an anti-oxidant rich Mediterranean diet will eliminate the need to frequently consult the cholesterol chart and will reduce cholesterol levels:

Eating mostly plant-based foods legumes, fruits, whole grains, vegetables and nuts Replacing the unhealthy fat of butter and margarine with canola or olive oil provide healthy fats Flavoring foods with spices and herbs rather than table salt Eating red meat a few times or less per month Eating chicken, turkey and fish two or three times a week

Participation in daily exercise is also a component of the Mediterranean diet.

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What Do My Test Results Mean

Test results may vary depending on your age, gender, health history, the method used for the test, and other things. Your test results may not mean you have a problem. Ask your healthcare provider what your test results mean for you.

Results are given in milligrams per deciliter . Here are the ranges for total cholesterol in adults:

• Normal: Less than 200 mg/dL
• Borderline high: 200 to 239 mg/dL
• High: At or above 240 mg/dL

These are the adult ranges for LDL cholesterol:

• Optimal: Less than 100 mg/dL
• Near optimal: 100 to 129 mg/dL
• Borderline high: 130 to 159 mg/dL
• High: 160 to 189 mg/dL
• Very high: 190 mg/dL and higher

The above numbers are general guidelines, because actual goals depend on the number of risk factors you have for heart disease.

Your HDL cholesterol levels should be above 40 mg/dL. This type of fat is actually good for you because it lowers your risk of heart disease. The higher the number, the lower your risk. Sixty mg/dL or above is considered the level to protect you against heart disease.

High levels of triglycerides are linked with a higher heart disease risk. Here are the adult ranges:

• Normal: Less than 150 mg/dL
• Borderline high: 150 to 199 mg/dL
• High: 200 to 499 mg/dL
• Very high: Above 500 mg/dL

Depending on your test results, your healthcare provider will decide whether you need lifestyle changes or medicines to lower your cholesterol.

Cholesterol And Healthy Eating

What we eat has an impact on our cholesterol levels and can help reduce our risk of disease. The Heart Foundation recommends following a heart-healthy eating pattern, which means eating a wide variety of fresh and unprocessed foods and limiting highly processed foods including take away, baked goods, chocolate, chips, lollies and sugary drinks. Not only does this help to maintain a healthy and interesting diet, but it provides essential nutrients to the body.

A heart-healthy eating pattern includes:

• plenty of vegetables, fruit and wholegrains
• a variety of healthy protein-rich foods , legumes , nuts and seeds. Smaller amounts of eggs and lean poultry can also be included in a heart-healthy eating pattern. If choosing red meat, make sure it is lean and limit to one to three times a week
• unflavoured milk, yoghurt and cheese. People with high cholesterol should choose reduced fat varieties
• healthy fats and oils. Choose nuts, seeds, avocados, olives and their oils for cooking
• herbs and spices to flavour foods, instead of adding salt.

This way of eating is also naturally high in fibre, which is good news, because a high intake of dietary fibre can also reduce levels of bad cholesterol in the blood.

Also, be mindful of how much you are eating. Portion sizes have increased over time and many of us are eating more than we need which can increase our cholesterol and risk of heart disease.

Serving size can vary depending on age, gender and specific nutrition needs.

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Boost Hdl With Lifestyle Changes

There are a number of lifestyle changes you can make to improve your HDL cholesterol level. Keep in mind: The higher your HDL level, the better. Thankfully, most of these steps lower your LDL level at the same, providing extra heart-healthy benefits. Try to:

• Aim for a healthy weight. Being overweight is a risk factor for heart disease. Losing weight can reduce your LDL cholesterol level while also increasing your HDL level.

• Get moving. Not only can exercise boost your HDL level, it can also help you shed pounds. Try to get at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity every week. This can include taking a brisk walk, riding a bike, or playing a sport. Break down the 150 minutes into as many smaller sessions as needed.

• Clean up your diet. Saturated and trans fats are thought to lower your HDL cholesterol level, as well as raise LDL cholesterol. Limit both by eating leaner cuts of meat, low-fat or fat-free dairy products, and fewer desserts and packaged or fried foods. Focus instead on eating lots of fresh fruits and vegetables.

• Kick the habit. Smoking is linked to lower HDL cholesterol, as well as higher LDL cholesterol. Improving your cholesterol levels is just one more reason to quit. Ask your provider for resources that can help.

Why Is Cholesterol Important To Our Bodies

Every cell in the body needs cholesterol, which helps the cell membranes form the layers. These layers protect the contents of the cell by acting as the gatekeeper to what things can enter or leave the cell. It is made by the liver and is also used by the liver to make bile, which helps you digest foods. Cholesterol is also needed to make certain hormones and to produce vitamin D. Your liver makes enough cholesterol to meet your bodys needs for these important functions.

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Cholesterol Levels For Children

According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, children should have total cholesterol readings of under 170 mg/dl. The borderline high range is 170199 mg/dl, and a reading of 200 mg/dl or over is high.

LDL cholesterol levels should be under 110 mg/dl. The borderline high range is 110129 mg/dl, and any reading over 130 mg/dl is high.

The Tlc Program To Lower High Cholesterol

The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute created the TLC Program, short for Therapeutic Lifestyle Changes, for people who want to control their cholesterol. Even if you take medications to lower your cholesterol, you may want to consider the possible benefits of this program.

It has three parts: diet, exercise, and weight control. The goal: Reduce your risk of heart disease. This is not a fad diet. Itâs considered a âbalancedâ plan, and the idea is to change your habits for the long run.

This plan focuses on foods that are low in natural cholesterol and saturated fat but high in the âgood fats.â One class of these good fats is monounsaturated fats. You also get a lot of fiber in this diet.

When you follow the program, you shoot for 2 key numbers every day:

Less than 7% of your calories from saturated fat

Fewer than 200 milligrams of dietary cholesterol

You do this to lower your LDL level. You can always talk to your doctor or dietician in more detail about how to measure how much fat and dietary cholesterol youâre taking in.

The first step is to manage dietary fats

When you follow the TLC Program, all the fat you eat in one day should not go over 35% of total calories. Try to avoid saturated fats. They can be found in things like:

• Whole milk dairy products

Trans fats can also raise cholesterol. Avoid them when you can. They are found in products such as:

• Stick margarine

Good fats

Some sources include:

• Olive, canola, and almond oils

Dietary cholesterol

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Drug Therapies To Treat High Cholesterol

When lifestyle changes alone cannot bring down high cholesterol, doctors may recommend medications. The reports that the following drugs and supplements can help:

• Statins: These drugs keep the liver from producing cholesterol.
• Bile acid sequestrants: These drugs reduce the amount of fat that the body absorbs from food.
• Cholesterol absorption inhibitors: These drugs lower levels of fats called triglycerides in the blood and reduce the amount of cholesterol absorbed from food.
• Some vitamins and supplements: These, such as niacin, stop the liver from removing HDL and lower levels of triglycerides.
• Omega-3 fatty acids: These raise HDL levels and lower triglyceride levels.

How Is High Cholesterol Treated

There are several ways to lower high blood cholesterol , including lifestyle changes or medication, or both. Your healthcare provider will work with you to determine which therapy is best for you.

Lifestyle modifications

Healthcare providers like to start with the least invasive treatments when possible, such as lifestyle changes. Youll be advised to:

• Avoid tobacco. If you do smoke, quit. Smoking is bad for you in many ways, and reducing your level of good cholesterol is one of them.
• Change the way you eat. Limit the number of trans fats and saturated fat. Eat heart-healthy foods like fruits, vegetables, poultry, fish and whole grains. Limit red meat, sugary products and dairy products made with whole milk.
• Get more exercise. Try to get about 150 minutes of physical activity every week, or about 30 minutes per day for most days of the week.
• Keep a healthy weight. If you need to lose weight, talk to your healthcare provider about safe ways to do this. Youll see results even before you reach your ideal weight. Losing even 10% of your body weight makes a difference in your cholesterol levels.
• Reduce the effect of negative emotions. Learn healthy ways to deal with anger, stress or other negative emotions.
• Control blood sugar and blood pressure. Make sure you follow your healthcare providers instructions for blood sugar levels, especially if you have diabetes, and for keeping blood pressure in the healthy range.

Medications

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