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"The Mysteries of Cholesterol - What Drug Companies Don't Want You To Know"

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Healthy Cholesterol Levels

When it comes to heart health, cholesterol plays a serious role. High levels of cholesterol in the blood is a significant risk factor with coronary heart disease and stroke. That should be enough reason to find out your cholesterol level and if any kind of corrective action should be taken. This section should help you determine the range considered normal levels of cholesterol.

How do you check levels of cholesterol?

Simple blood tests can check your cholesterol levels. Now, the cheapest way to check your cholesterol, even though it is not a comprehensive test, is to donate blood which is absolutely free. Make sure to ask them for the results because they don't always give them to you voluntarily. More comprehensive tests measure total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, and triglycerides. The test report will show your cholesterol levels in milligrams per deciliter of blood written as mg/dL. Blood sugar levels can sometimes skew results, therefore your doctor should always help you interpret your results to determine a diagnosis and plan for action. It is recommended that you check your cholesterol levels at least every five years.

What are normal cholesterol levels?

Below 200 mg/dL for total cholesterol is normal and puts you at a much lower risk for heart disease. HDL cholesterol is good, which means higher levels are better. For men, 40 to 50 mg/dL is normal and women normally range between 50 to 60 mg/dL. For LDL cholesterol normal levels are below 130 mg/dL. Normal triglyceride levels fall below 150 mg/dL.

What do your cholesterol levels mean?

While having normal to optimal levels of cholesterol can reduce the risk of forming heart disease, it does not eliminate the risk. You should still eat a heart healthy diet and perform a regular exercise routine even if your levels are optimal. Along with your cholesterol levels, your doctor will look at other risk factors like age, smoking, family history, and high blood pressure.

Are triglyceride levels important?

Triglyceride is a form of fat and is often associated with high levels of total cholesterol. Being overweight, physically inactive, excess alcohol consumption, cigarette smoking, and a high carbohydrate diet all contribute to higher triglyceride levels. Triglycerides are a risk factor for metabolic syndrom, which increases the risk for heart disease and other disorders like diabetes. A healthy lifestyle will help you control triglycerides more than anything else...

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