@zh 29 May 2020 edited

Know Your Cholesterol

Disclaimer *This information is not presented by a medical practitioner and is for educational and informational purposes only. The content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.*

**More than half of the world today has high cholesterol**. What this means is that every other person that you see walking down the street is at **risk for some sort of heart disease**. The average person doesn’t even know how their cholesterol stands because you can’t see high cholesterol. However, the stats stand for themselves when it comes to your cholesterol; you **need to understand** it in order to be able to deal with it. Once you get past the code, it is very easy to understand. What exactly is Cholesterol? Cholesterol is basically just a **fat-like substance that is found throughout the body.** The next thing is to know how it gets there. This is easy, you get your cholesterol through the body itself or in the foods we eat and put into it. You need to know that too much of it, however, is not healthy for the body. There are **two kinds of cholesterol** that we have, which may be confusing at first: High Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol **HDL** form of cholesterol is the kind one can call the *'good' cholesterol.* What basically happens is that HDL transfers the surplus cholesterol to the liver from the tissues. This is converted to bile in the liver by breaking it down. The **ideal limit of HDL level of cholesterol is 40 milligrams**. The optimum range being 40-45 milligrams. Above 60 milligram protects ones heart and improvises on the brain's routines which manage the blood vessels. Low Density Lipoproteins Cholesterol Know also as **LDL** and are sometimes called the *bad cholesterol* because it can clog arteries and kill us, is the other. LDL form of cholesterol is the kind one must avoid, in other words the bad one. This type of cholesterol **increases the risk of heart diseases** by blocking the arteries with deposits of cholesterol. The **ideal limit of LDL level of cholesterol is 200 milligrams**. The optimum range being 200-240 milligrams. Above that is potentially dangerous. In general we have both kinds of cholesterol in our bodies and we need them both. The **balance** between them is what gives us general health. Cholesterol Levels There are actually **five different ways** that you can use in order to get a complete reading on your own cholesterol levels and they are: total cholesterol levels HDL LDL, total HDL ratio LDL/HDL ratio These measurements are actually categorized as *desirable*, *borderline*, and of course, at *risk*. Measurement units for checking your cholesterol are conducted as **milligrams per deciliter**. It is extremely misleading to consider any of them on their own. Consult your health practitioner to best understand your cholesterol levels and what, if anything, to do about them or how to maintain them properly. Here is how it really works in the numbers: **Total** desirable is **below 200 mg/dL**, total borderline level is 200 to 240 and total risk above level 240. **HDL** ideal level is **above 45 mg/dL**, HDL borderline is 35 to 45 and HDL at risk below 35. **LDL** ideal level is **below 130 mg/dL**, LDL borderline is 130 to 160 and LDL at risk above 160. **Total/HDL** ideal ratio is **below 4.5**, total/HDL borderline is 4.5 to 5.5 and total/HDL at risk is above 5.5. **LDL/HDL** ideal ratio is **below 3**, LDL/HDL borderline is 3 to 5 and LDL/HDL and at risk is above 5. When it comes to actually doing something about your cholesterol levels, a **balanced diet**, combined with a **good fitness** regimen is your best bet in combating high cholesterol. You have to **be both active and eat right** to maintain the right **balance**. See also part 2, Low Your Cholesterol . https://read.cash/@zh/low-your-cholesterol-004620a5 [sponsors]