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Taming Your Total Cholesterol ReadingsWhat is Cholesterol? Despite all the hype about cholesterol, it's actually a vital part of the digestive process. Cholesterol is manufactured in the liver and helps break down the foods you eat. Cholesterol only becomes a problem if your body has too much of the wrong kind in your bloodstream. Doctors believe this contributes to heart disease and strokes, because this excess builds up on the walls of arteries. Although the body makes about 80% of the cholesterol it needs for digestion and other cellular functions, the remaining 20% comes from your diet and can tip the scale of bad versus good cholesterol. And it's this relationship that determines your total cholesterol level. What Is It? Total cholesterol measures all the fats or lipids in your bloodstream. There are three main categories of lipids, which determine the total cholesterol level. LDLs are low-density lipoproteins or "bad" cholesterol, which can accumulate in the arteries and form plaque. This restricts the blood flow and can cause heart attacks, strokes or damage to other organs. HDLs are high-density lipoproteins or "good" cholesterol that carries cholesterol from the blood to the liver where it can be safely processed. Triglycerides are also considered "bad" cholesterol and increases significantly by the foods you eat. To fully appreciate the total cholesterol reading from your blood test, several factors need to be taken into consideration. Age, gender, family history and other medical conditions, like high blood pressure and diabetes, all contribute to the picture of the total cholesterol level. Measured in milligrams per deciliters, cholesterol values above 180 start to increase your risk for developing heart disease. A total cholesterol reading of 220 mg/dL or more almost doubles the odds of coronary heart disease which should provide a person with enough motivation to get these numbers down to a desirable figure. Even reducing the total cholesterol by 1% decreases the likelihood of developing heart disease by 2% for readings over 200 mg/dL. Total cholesterol readings are an excellent tool for managing cholesterol levels. By monitoring the LDL, HDL and triglyceride levels in your blood, you can protect yourself from heart disease, stroke or other damage to major organs. By investing a few minutes in blood test, you can add years of health to your life. |
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