Not all of the cholesterol is bad.

All over the world approximately 17 million people die from heart disease and the bad guy is usually cholesterol. Cholesterol has gained a very bad status in modern society being coined a killer. But this important substance is wrongfully accused of a crime that it did not commit and media plays a big role in advertising this foul reputation. Whenever people hear that word, what come to mind are fat, thick gobs of lard and the likes. It seems to be that cholesterol has a pretty bad reputation but this is probably just from bad publicity from the media because cholesterol is also very important to survival.

Typically, cholesterol is classified into two. Good cholesterol is known as high-density lipoprotein while low-density lipoprotein is known as the bad type. Low density lipoprotein is important in the body. It is responsible for transporting precious cholesterol to the cells since cholesterol is needed in certain biological processes like hormone and cell production. High density lipoproteins basically sweep the body from excess cholesterol and bring it to the liver for excretion. With the help of a Cholesterol Levels Chart, you can assess how much of the two you have in your body by undergoing a simple blood test.

If you get a cholesterol reading lower than 200mg/dl, then it’s safe to say that you are not at risk for heart disease. But as the number increases, the risk in developing heart disease and stroke also increases.  In the LDL cholesterol levels chart, a normal reading should be less than 130mg/dl and any higher would put you at risk for heart disease and stroke. However, a reading of 60mg/dl and up means good news in the HDL cholesterol levels chart as this is a good indicator on how effectively your bodies get rid of excess cholesterol. These charts are a valuable tool in determining your health status and can be used as a guide for treatment if necessary and also preventive measures.

 



So basically, LDL is known as the bad cholesterol. So obviously, lowering it would be a great first step. Diet primarily plays a role in this. Meats especially pork and beef should be taken in exceed with what is recommended by the food pyramid. Butter should also be taken in small amounts although margarine is not much of a good substitute because it’s riddled with chemicals. Simply put, limiting fat intake is very important in having normal LDL levels.

On the flip side, having high levels of HDL in the body is beneficial to health. Diet also plays a role in increasing the levels of this so called “good cholesterol”. Consuming foods rich in niacin can help increase the amount of HDL in the blood like eggs and dairy products. Also, consume plenty of fat, more specifically healthy ones like omega-3 usually found in peanuts and fish and monounsaturated fats commonly found in olive oil, canola oil and also avocadoes.

Combined with exercise, lifestyle changes like avoidance of smoking and a healthy diet, you can achieve a sense of yin and yang of your cholesterol in your body and achieve bodily and arterial zen.

1. Cholesterol Levels Chart
2. LDL cholesterol levels chart
3. HDLcholesterol levels chart