The good, the bad and the total: What is cholesteroland is it important to know your levels?
Keeping yourcholesterollevels in a healthy range can reduce your risk for heart disease.
Knowing your cholesterol numbers is an important part of taking care of your heart.
What Is Cholesterol?
Cholesterol is a waxy substance found in all cells of the body.
You need it to make vitamin D, hormones and other substances.
In fact, your body makes all the cholesterol that you need.
But the foods we eat can also contain cholesterol.
Dietary cholesterol is only found in animal products, such as meat, cheese and eggs.
Plants and plant oils do not have any cholesterol.
Cholesterol is carried through the body byhigh-density lipoproteins (HDL)and low-density lipoproteins (LDL).
LDL is considered the “bad” cholesterol because it deposits plaque in your arteries.
High Cholesterol Levels
Genetics and diet can cause high LDL cholesterol.
Too much LDL cholesterol is dangerous because it can build up as plaque in your arteries.
This is why doctors care about your cholesterol levels and why you should too.
Cholesterol is just one of many risk factors for heart disease.
“The exception is if someone’s LDL is greater than 190 mg/dL.”
More men have heart disease than women, but it’s important for everyone to keep their heart healthy.
However, most doctors use guidelines set by theU.S.
Preventive Services Task Force(USPSTF), a panel of health experts that publishes screening recommendations.
It measures total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, HDL cholesterol and triglycerides.
Don’t eat anything for 9-12 hours before the test for the best results.
