When educating yourself on cholesterol, all the terms can get a bit confusing. HDL, LDL, DHL (just kidding, that's the German mail service). It's hard to remember which is the good, which is the bad, and what it all means anyway.
In this article, we explain what cholesterol it is, what it means to have "bad" cholesterol, and home remedies for achieving the best possible balance.
Ready? Here we go.
Cholesterol. What is it?
Cholesterol is a fat-like substance found in all the cells of the body. According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), cholesterol is needed to make hormones, vitamin D, and substances required to digest food. Clearly, cholesterol is important.
So, why is some cholesterol "bad?"
It's not the cholesterol itself that's bad. It's the packaging that carries the cholesterol through the bloodstream. The NIH explains cholesterol is transported in lipoproteins, which have fat on the inside and proteins on the outside. There are two types of lipoproteins: High-density lipoproteins (HDL), which helps remove cholesterol from the arteries, and low-density lipoproteins (LDL), the "bad" cholesterol that can build-up in the arteries. When you have too much cholesterol in the blood, you are at greater risk of heart disease. This is called high cholesterol.
Do I have high cholesterol?
The best way to know if you have high cholesterol is to ask your doctor for a blood test. In fact, NIH Medline Plus recommend everyone over age 20 have his or her cholesterol checked every five years. Healthy cholesterol levels are below 200 mg/dL. Between 200 and 239 mg/dL is considered borderline high, and anything above 240 mg/dL is high.
When you check your cholesterol levels, it is important to pay attention not just to the total number, but also to the separate LDL (bad) and HDL (good) levels. The optimal level of LDL is below 100 mg/dL. 130-158 mg/dL is considered borderline high. If your LDL is above 160 mg/dL, you should talk to your doctor about necessary lifestyle changes. You want your LDL to be low, but your HDL high because when HDL levels are above 60 mg/dL, you are better protected against heart disease.
Am I at risk for high cholesterol?
Men are at higher risk for high cholesterol than are women, reports the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. But you may be surprised to know that the numbers are also high for women. In fact, nearly 1 in every 2 women has high or borderline high cholesterol, according to the NIH. Risk increases with age. Fifty percent of people in their forties have high cholesterol, and sixty-two percent of people in their fifties are affected.
So how do I balance my LDL and HDL cholesterol levels? Underground Health recommends eating certain foods known to balance cholesterol. Examples include natural oats, whole grains, beans, walnuts, trout, and garlic. The Nest suggests limiting cholesterol intake to no more than 300 milligrams per day. This can be as easy as replacing whole eggs with egg whites, whole milk with skim, and fatty meats with chicken. Another secret to balancing cholesterol is replacing trans fats with monounsaturated fats. One of the simplest lifestyle changes you can make to this end is to replace butter and margarine with olive oil.
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