LDL HDL Ratio
Your doctor says you need to improve your LDL HDL ratio, but what does that really mean?
Millions of people are discovering that they have high cholesterol and they need to lower their numbers, but now more than ever, health care professionals are also focusing on HDL levels and where those need to be. Now you might be thinking that all cholesterol is bad, but more and more research is showing that some cholesterol, or the HDL cholesterol is actually good for your body. Before you begin to work on balancing the ratio of cholesterol in your body though, you need to know a little more about it.
Cholesterol, the Good and the Bad
You may not know that all of us need cholesterol. It is actually made by the liver and is essential to every cell that makes up our bodies. Cholesterol helps to form a moisture barrier around each cell so that it doesn’t become too liquid and lose shape. In a perfect world, the liver can adjust how much cholesterol it makes so that it balances with the amount of cholesterol we take in each day. However, many of us consume way too much of this stuff through the foods we eat. Since the liver can’t completely stop all production of cholesterol, many of us find that we have too much LDL, or low density lipoproteins in our blood and not enough HDL, or high density lipoproteins.
For the short term, this unbalanced LDL HDL ratio might be okay, but in the long term, it has been found to cause problems such as heart disease, heart attacks and strokes. LDL cholesterol tends to turn into a gluey type of substance when it’s digested and this can cause it to adhere or stick to the walls of the arteries. This can create blockages and make it more difficult for your heart to work. The natural solution to lots of LDL in your blood is higher levels of HDL, which acts as “Drain-o” for your arteries. HDL cholesterol is the only thing that can get into your blood stream and carry the LDL cholesterol away for your body to get rid of it as waste.
Focus on Both
For this reason, when you’re working to maintain good health, a well balanced LDL HDL ratio is essential. Not only are you working to ensure that your body doesn’t have too much LDL cholesterol, but by raising your HDL cholesterol levels, you’re working to ensure that your body can function as it was meant to.
When you’re working to reduce your cholesterol levels, you’re only addressing half the problem, which is why there are now more medications available which help to balance your numbers for you. When you’re working to maintain healthy cholesterol levels, you should start with your lifestyle. Make sure to eat right and get plenty of exercise. A diet which contains mostly lean protein sources and plenty of fresh fruits, veggies, fish and whole grains, which offer the added benefit of fiber, is preferred. You should make sure to get at least 60 minutes of heart pumping exercise each day and make sure to stay active all the time and you’ll be taking the first steps toward maintaining healthy cholesterol levels in your body.
You should know that the more knowledge you have about the different types of cholesterol and how your body uses it, the better you will be able to balance your LDL HDL ratio and maintain good health for life.
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