Cholesterol Levels

Cholesterol Levels

Preparation

To measure the cholesterol levels in your body, you should ideally speak to your doctor. The doctor might recommend a test depending on your age and lifestyle, i.e. whether you smoke or are overweight.

Procedure

In order to measure your cholesterol levels, your doctor will draw a small amount of blood usually from your arm. From the sample taken, they will measure the total cholesterol amount, as well as your good cholesterol and bad cholesterol levels.

Types of Cholesterol

The two main types of cholesterol are low-density lipoprotein (LDL) and high-density lipoprotein (HDL). When taking the cholesterol test, your doctor will measure both to assess overall risk factors.

• LDL, the bad cholesterol is responsible for clogging the arteries.
• HDL, the good cholesterol helps remove bad cholesterol from the blood.

Risks

Having an elevated cholesterol level puts you at a higher risk for developing heart diseases. High levels of cholesterol can also cause damage to the bloodstream, leading to high blood pressure, stroke, or even a heart attack.

Why Cholesterol Levels are Important

The amount of cholesterol in your body directly effects your health. Too much cholesterol in your system can put you at risk for life-threatening cardiovascular diseases.

When to Check your Cholesterol Levels

A cholesterol test should be taken at least once every 5 years if you are aged 20 or older. However, if you have any risk factors or a family history of cardiovascular diseases, you should consult your doctor on how often to have the test done.

Normal Cholesterol Levels

The normal cholesterol level for a healthy adult has less than 200mg of cholesterol in a deciliter (dL) of blood.

• LDL less than 100mg per dL of blood.
• HDL should be higher than 40mg per dL of blood for men and higher than 50 mg per dL for women.

Ways to Reduce Cholesterol Levels

Having a healthy diet is key to managing cholesterol levels. Incorporating foods such as: nuts, beans, tofu, fish, oranges, avocados, spinach, and celery can act as substitutes for fatty teachers.

Also, adding physical activity can help reduce cholesterol. Experience the benefits of low cholesterol with 30 minutes of physical activity 5 times a week.