Hdl Cholesterol Level
Diet To Lower Ldl Cholesterol
Hdl Good Cholesterol
Improving Hdl
Diet To Lower Ldl
Cholesterol
HDL LDL
raise hdl level
What is Making My Child Obese? In terms of the ratio of total cholesterol to good cholesterol, 5:1 or less is a healthy level while greater than this is undesirable. Meats to avoid in a high cholesterol diet are those products defined as fatty meats, including highly processed meat (frankfurters, sausage, bologna), red meat (ribs and steak), and bacon. HDL (high-density lipoprotein) cholesterol is the good cholesterol and has been shown to actually reduce levels of cholesterol in the bloodstream. Cholesterol medicine is not always administered to bring down levels, but also to maintain it. Most cholesterol medicine is released only with prescription; however, there are some that can be brought over the counter.
good triglyceride levels
Blood level of good cholesterol less than 40 mg/dL (1. Diet rich in starch and fiber is a precursor to higher HDL levels. LDL, or bad cholesterol, is the type of cholesterol that causes blockage in your arteries; when you have high levels of LDL cholesterol in your body, you increase the chance that your blood cant get to the organs that need it most, such as the heart or brain.
There are a few different names for cholesterol tests such as total cholesterol, lipid tests, lipoprotein test or lipid profile. These tests all do essentially the same thing, which is measure the amount of cholesterol or triglycerides in serums (blood).
Preparing For And Taking A Cholesterol Test
It is advisable to fast for nine to twelve hours before you go to the lab for a cholesterol test. Only water should be ingested during the fasting period because any other substances can possibly affect the test results. For adults, no other preparation is necessary. For infants and children requiring testing, explaining the steps of blood collection will help relieve some anxiety, but infants may still need to be restrained.
A sample of blood is needed to perform a total cholesterol test. For a quick simple test a lancet is used to prick a finger and a small amount of blood is applied to a test strip, slide or other small container. The results for this type of test can take mere minutes.
A more detailed cholesterol test requires more blood so the sample must extracted from a vein using a needle and collected in an airtight vial or syringe. It can take several days to get the results from this type of test.
Total Cholesterol Level Test Results
The results of a cholesterol test will help your doctor decide what treatments, if any, are necessary to reduce your risks of heart disease and stroke. Normal levels of total cholesterol are less than 200 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dl), while 200-239 mg/dl is considered borderline high and any reading 240 mg/dl or higher is considered high.
Cholesterol test results, other than total cholesterol, will give you the levels of LDL (bad) cholesterol, HDL (good) cholesterol and triglycerides.
Doctors Orders
Depending on the results of your cholesterol test your doctor may first prescribe that a new diet that is low in fat and cholesterol. Increasing the amount and frequency of regular exercise can also help lower your total cholesterol number. As always, smoking cessation is advised not only to control cholesterol levels but also to improve your health in general.
But if these lifestyle changes do not bring your total cholesterol levels into a normal range, prescription medications may be necessary. These drugs, known as statins, come in a variety of brand names. Your doctor has many choices and will advise you about potential side effects of any he may prescribe.
To truly get your cholesterol numbers under control and reduce your risks of premature heart attack or stroke you must watch your diet, exercise regularly and take your medicines as directed.