Understanding Your Cholesterol Level, Part 1

You're told by your physician you need to lower your cholesterol in order to live a healthier life. The blood tests you had done show the total cholesterol levels to be over 200. But what does that really mean and how do you get started towards reducing your cholesterol? To begin, cholesterol is a naturally occurring substance that is made by your body and cholesterol is derived from the food you eat.

Most laboratory results tell you where your blood compares within a predetermined desirable range. These lab tests look at five separate components:

Cholesterol:
This is the total cholesterol. Levels over 200 are considered elevated. A good level for cholesterol is 175 mg/dL or less.

Triglycerides:
This represents the blood fats. They will be elevated after a fatty meal and require a fasting test to be accurate. The desired range is 30-175 mg/dl

HDL:
This is good cholesterol. The higher the number, the better. Adult female mean is 55 mg/dl

LDL:
This is the low density lipoprotein cholesterol. The higher the number, the more risk of hardening of the arteries. Below 130 mg/dL's desirable for adults.

Chol/HDL Ratio:
Levels less than 4.5 indicates less risk of coronary heart disease.

The HDL and LDL levels together with the triglyceride level make up your "lipid profile."

Bottom line: Elevated cholesterol is a major risk factor for heart disease. Lipoproteins are the vehicles for moving cholesterol and fat throughout the body.

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• Next: Changing Your Diet