I received an email from Aetna (my insurance company) regarding cholesterol numbers and thought it would be useful to remember what numbers are desirable and record it as a reference.
Total cholesterol
Desirable – below 200
Borderline high – 200-239
High – 240 or above
LDL (bad) cholesterol
Optimal – below 100
Near/above optimal : 100-129
Borderline high : 130-159
High : 160-189
Very high : 190 or above
note: Too much LDL cholesterol can block the arteries.
HDL (good) cholesterol
High (higher is better) : 60 or above
Low : below 40
note: HDL cholesterol helps keep the arteries from blocking.
Triglycerides
Normal : Below 150
Borderline High : 150 – 199
High : 200 – 499
Very high : 500 or above
note: Triglycerides are another kind of fat in the blood. They can also raise your risk of heart disease.
reference: Aetna email list… and in the email data is from http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/
Firstly, we need to establish a set ‘safe level’ of both LDL and HDL combined as a total serum cholesterol reading at 200 milligrams per decilitre of blood (mg/dl). A reading above 200 indicates an increased potential for developing heart disease. A level of 200 to 239 is borderline, and those with levels over 240 are considered to be at high risk. The
normal HDL range for adult men is 45 to 50 mg/dl, and that for women is 50 to 60 mg/dl. It should be noted that women, probably because of their higher oestrogen levels, have lower LDL and higher HDL contents than men, accounting for their lower incidence of arteriosclerosis. It is suggested that higher HDL levels, such as 70 or 80 mg/dl, may protect against heart disease. An HDL level under 35 mg/dl is considered risky. So if you have a cholesterol reading of 200, with HDL at 80 and LDL at 120, you are considered at low risk for heart disease. On the other hand, even if you have a total cholesterol level well under 200, you are still considered to be at increased risk of developing cardiovascular disease if your HDL level is under 35. In other words, as your HDL decreases, your potential for heart problems intensifies, even if your total is on the low side.
The trick to achieving a normal cholesterol range is simply to change one’s lifestyle. You should eat healthy and exercise more.Through better nutrition, LDL cholesterol levels can be greatly lowered in no time. Failure to do this will result in a huge risk for coronary heart disease, atherosclerosis, and stroke.
Reference:
http://www.hdlcholesterollevels.org/ldl-cholesterol-how-to-reduce-them/
I also read it , the higher HDL the better. Also the higher the HDL, the lower is the risk of heart diseases.
Also there are many food which can help boost HDL the natural way.
Hi, Sandy here from the UK. We have documented evidence that consuming a diet high in oatmeal reduces LDL cholesterol significantly. In my own family we have seen cholesterol levels (and blood pressure, incidentally) fall from a combined level of over 200 to 86 in the space of 8 months, due almost entirely to a bowl of porridge for breakfast each day.