HealingDeva.com

[Terri R.]

Normal Values 

In 2001, guidelines from the National Cholesterol Education Panel recommended that all lipid tests be performed after fasting and should measure all four cholesterol components: total cholesterol, HDL, LDL, and triglycerides.

To get accurate results, you should fast for 9 to 12 hours before the test. The health care provider may advise you to stop taking drugs that can affect the test. You may drink water during the fast, but other beverages such as coffee, tea, or soda may affect results.

The total cholesterol measurement, as with all lipid measurements taken at all laboratories, will be listed as milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL). In most cases, the higher your total cholesterol, the higher your risk for heart disease. A value of less than 200 mg/dL is desirable, placing you at less risk for heart disease. Levels over 240 mg/dL may put you at almost twice the risk of heart disease as someone with a level less than 200 mg/dL.

High LDL cholesterol levels may be the best predictor of risk of heart disease. If you have known heart disease, peripheral vascular disease (blockages in the blood vessels of the extremities), or diabetes, your LDL cholesterol should be below 100 mg/dL. If you have 2 or more heart-disease risk factors (smoking, high blood pressure, low HDL, a family history of heart disease, are a man over 45 or woman over 55), your LDL should be below 130 mg/dL. If you have none or 1 of the risk factors listed, your LDL cholesterol should be below 160.

HDL cholesterol levels more than or equal to 60 mg/dL will take away the increased risk from one risk factor and decrease your risk of heart disease. Levels below 40 mg/dL add a risk factor.

Triglyceride levels are also becoming an important predictor of risk for heart disease. Even if you have low LDL and high HDL cholesterol, high triglyceride levels may put you at risk. Normal triglyceride levels are less than 150 mg/dL and can be incorrectly elevated if a 9-12 hour fast was not completed.

It is important to discuss your results with your doctor to determine the best therapy given your risk factors and lifestyle.


What abnormal results mean  

High LDL, low HDL, and or high triglyceride levels may put you at increased risk for heart disease. By depositing in blood vessels, including the coronary arteries, these components may cause blockages (atherosclerosis) leading to a heart attack or cell death in legs or toes, requiring amputation.

[Tracer]

no wonder they were so excited when my trigylcerides were over 400...lol!!!! well that problem is solved now...lol!!!! and I know what caused that. I had been doing a gallbladder cleansing, drinking mostly applejuice for several days before the test. That's what threw those numbers way on up there.
Just looked at a new protein powder that I bought last weekend and it has 50 mg of cholesterol per scoop and you should put 1-2 scoops per 6-8 oz. of milk or water. Sounds like a lot of cholesterol to me. I took it back and bought some that I had bought before. Not as tasty, but no cholesterol

[Terri R.]

My levels were so high that the doc wanted to put me on meds, right then and there. The only thing I did differently during the 3 months that I was trying to lower my cholesterol (sans any medication) was the weight training, 3x a week... and that made a HUGE difference. I went from a ratio of 5.0 down to 3.7... I really need to get back into SOME sort of exercise routine. I haven't been to the BodyPump class, or even the Yoga classes, in about a month.

[Tracer]

well I went on the medicine for a while, but decided I wanted to go off of it and see for myself if the cholesterol was really that high. The doctor kinda laughed and shook her head as to say okay you can do it but you will have to go right back on it. Well when they checked it the next time it was all within normal limits. Boy did I rub it in....lol!!!! She said it wasn't the norm. Of course I told her I wasn't normal and she should know that by now......hmmmmm. she agreed....I wonder what she was thinking......lol!!!!!
I have lost about 52 pounds so I am sure that is helping. I do need to start some type of exercise program other than sleeping....lol!!!

[Terri R.]

52 pounds?!?!? So, what... you weight 70 pounds now??? LOL!!

How long did it take to lose that much weight?

[Tracer]

About 3-4 months I think. Haven't really been keeping trackof it. No, there is still plenty left to get rid of. If I had been exercising during this time I may have lost double that. But hey....I am okay with what is gone....."all things in their proper time", right?

[Terri R.]

That's a lot of weight loss, but it sounds as if you've been losing weight the healthy way.... about 2 lbs. a week.

[Guest]

ANY IDEAS ON RAISING ONES GOOD CHOLESTEROL LEVEL?

[Terri R.]

There are lots of ways to raise your HDL levels, such as:

Aerobic exercise (such as walking, jogging or bike riding, that raises your heart rate for 20 - 30 minutes at a time) increases the HDL levels.

Diet - If you are overweight, reducing your weight should increase your HDL levels.

If you smoke, stop.

Don't eat anything that has "partially hydrogenated vegetable oils" - (this is going to be hard to do since just about everything - processed foods - contain trans fatty acids). Trans fatty acids not only increase LDL cholesterol levels, they also REDUCE HDL levels.

Eat more monounsaturated fats such as canola oil, avocado oil, or olive oil. Also, the fats found in peanut butter can increase HDL cholesterol levels without increasing the total cholesterol.

Eat more fiber - oats, fruits, vegetables, and legumes, and result in both a reduction in LDL cholesterol and an increase HDL cholesterol. For best results, at least two servings a day should be used.

Also... when I started weight training (3x week, for a minimum of one hour), not only did I lower my LDL levels, and total ratio, I increased my HDL levels (which were already high to begin with).

Terri

[Tracer]

I haven't seen that you have mentioned alocohol in here. Does alocohol affect cholesterol levels, good or bad?