This article will help you to understand all about your Cholesterol Numbers and how they are calculated. This will give you an insight into the health of your heart and your blood circulation, arteries and systems.
So you have had your Cholesterol levels tested by your doctor or at home with one of the new cholesterol home testing kits
Cholesterol Numbers
Your cholesterol numbers may have been measured in different scales depending on where you live. Typically, in the USA, all measurements are in mg/dL which is milligrams per deciliter whereas in the UK, your cholesterol results are expressed as mmol/L which is millimoles per litre. All countries have similar recommendations for what is recommended as safe cholesterol ranges.
Your Doctor may just give you one number and this will be your Total Cholesterol level. Most doctors will have actually been given five test results. These are:-
Total Cholesterol
This is the total measure of all the types of cholesterol lipids found in your blood. Ideally, your total cholesterol level should be under 200 mg/dL which is 5.0 mmol/L. If you have any heart related problems or there is any family history of heart problems then most Doctors advise that your Total cholesterol level should be under 160 mg/dL or 4.0 mmol/L.
If your total cholesterol is above 240 mg/dL or 6.0 mmol/L then you are categorised as having high cholesterol levels and should take measures to reduce your cholesterol.
HDL Cholesterol
HDL stands for high density lipids and these are often described as good cholesterol – yes it’s not all bad! This good cholesterol actually helps to clear the bad cholesterol deposits from your blood vessels. Your hdl cholesterol level should be above 60 mg/dL or 1.2 mmol/L.
LDL Cholesterol
LDL stands for low density lipids and these are the bad cholesterol numbers. This bad cholesterol is responsible for depositing plaque in your blood vessels which is responsible for many heart and artery diseases if not kept in check. These plaque deposits can block arteries partially or even completely and if it is a major artery feeding your heart for instance then this is deadly serious. Also if bits of plaque break off then they can travel around the body and disrupt the function of organs like your lungs or even up into your brain causing strokes. Ideal ldl cholesterol level is 100 mg/dL which is 3.0 mmol/L or less if possible. Anything above 160mg/dL or 4.0 mmol/L is considered to be high cholesterol.
Triglycerides
These are the chemicals in your blood that are produced from the fats that you eat and this reading will vary on a daily basis depending on your last few meals and the amount of fat that you consumed. But a safe measure is 150 mg/dL – 1.7 mmol/L or less. Any more than 200 mg/dL or 2.5 mmol/L will be described by your Doctor as high cholesterol and he or she will recommend a change of diet to avoid arterial diseases that this may contribute to.
Cholesterol Ratio
Your cholesterol numbers ratio is not a test, but a calculation between your Total Cholesterol Level and your Good Cholesterol. Total Cholesterol divided by HDL Cholesterol – this should give you a score of around 4.5 or ideally less.
Your Cholesterol Levels
So how did you do? High Cholesterol? Mine was and I had to take measures to change my diet. My doctor did offer me some cholesterol reducing drugs but there is so much bad press around Statin based drugs that I made the decision to get my self healthy by eating the right foods and foods that actually help to reduce cholesterol levels, so far this is working well – keeping my doctor happy for once!
(A Statin is a class of drugs used to lower cholesterol levels by inhibiting the enzyme familiar with their cholesterol numbers.…)
Diet and Lifestyle changes can make a major difference to your cholesterol numbers and following a cholesterol lowering diet plan can help you to avoid the need to take prescription pills.
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