Cholesterol Articles
Effects Of Fats On Cholesterol Levels
Triglycerides And Pancreatitis Emedicine
High Cholesterol Wound Healing
Ways To Raise Hdl Cholesterol Levels
What Determines Likelihood Of Having High Cholesterol


Cholesterol
HDL LDL

hdl and ldl cholesterol
The Internet is probably the main culprit of informing people, which is a good thing until someone decides to take action on something read on the Internet without consultation. Anyone can acquire such a device, and the whole family can use it with ease for in between doctor check-ups in order to make sure your cholesterol levels are what you desire them to be. Both fast food and many microwave or ready-made foods qualify as food high in cholesterol and these are the foods that are so dangerous to todays children.


normal triglycerides
One of the functions of the liver, in the digestive process, is to turn cholesterol into bile acids that make their way into the intestinal tract where they are absorbed and returned to the liver. This bad and good cholesterol needs to be in a certain balance in order to be healthy. Eliminating the animal protein from your diet reduces the animal fat, which is a major contributor to high levels of cholesterol. Visit your doctor regularly for check-ups, and ask as many questions as it takes to get you to understand and be comfortable with your bodys health performance.

Cholesterol Info
How To Lower High Cholesterol Resource
Why Bad Cholesterol Is Bad For You


LDL, or low-density lipoprotein, cholesterol has been dubbed bad cholesterol. This bad cholesterol is bad because high level of LDL cholesterol levels in your blood over time can build up in the walls of your arteries that feed the organs in your body. Plaque causes the arteries to become narrow and less flexible, a condition called atherosclerosis. If an artery becomes too narrow or becomes completely blocked by a clot heart attack and stroke can be the result.

A cholesterol test revealing a measured bad cholesterol level of between 130-159 mg/dl is considered to be borderline high. LDL cholesterol blood levels of 160 mg/dl or higher are considered high. Bad cholesterol levels should be held down to 129 mg/dl or lower, anything less than 100 mg/dl is optimal.

Controlling Bad Cholesterol

Controlling high levels of bad cholesterol can be difficult by dietary means alone. Reading labels and ingesting low fat, cholesterol free foods along with increasing regular exercise can help lower LDL cholesterol levels. But having high levels of bad cholesterol also comes from genetics. If your parents and their siblings and their parents generally have higher than normal cholesterol levels it is likely that you will too.

There are many prescription medicines that can help lower bad cholesterol. If you have made proper dietary and lifestyle changes with no result, cholesterol-reducing drugs, known at statins, can be taken. As with any medicine, statins have side effects. Mild side effects such as stomach upset, gas, constipation and cramping usually go away after taking the drug for a short while. Serious side effects while taking statins are rare but include liver problems and muscle pain and weakness. Liver function tests are regularly given to patients using statin drugs to monitor for problems.

Good Cholesterol Must Be Monitored Also

When your cholesterol levels are tested another type of cholesterol, known as high-density lipoprotein or HDL, is measured also. HDL cholesterol is commonly though of as the good cholesterol. Unlike bad cholesterol, low levels (40 mg/dl or less) of HDL cholesterol can increase the risk of heart attack and stroke. An HDL cholesterol level of 60 mg/dl is desirable.

Increased Risks As You Age

Monitoring your cholesterol and maintaining healthy levels becomes more and more important as we get older. Aging brings about changes that increase our risks for health problems such as high blood pressure and cardiovascular disease. Age related diseases such as arthritis cause people to become less active when they get older. So controlling your cholesterol levels become even more important later in life to ensure a long vigorous life.