As soon as you pass the age of 20 years, doctors will recommend that you celebrate by checking cholesterol levels in the
blood. Next, you should undergo the same examinations at least once every five years.
One of the readings that will be produced by this investigation is the overall
cholesterol levels in the blood (total cholesterol). Here's how to understand the meaning of these figures (all figures refer to milligrams per deciliter of blood).
Less than 200-is the desired
200 to 239, need to wary
240 and higher-dangerous
However, even if your total cholesterol numbers are still within safe limits, you still need to measure it on a regular basis, including levels of HDL cholesterol (high-density lipoprotein), the good kind of cholesterol.
Sometimes high levels of HDL will help to neutralize the total cholesterol numbers are already "on the border" (although you may still be advisable to lower total cholesterol as low as possible).
If your HDL reading of less than 35, are considered in the category "low," then you need to try to raise it again. (The best choice for you in this case is to lose weight exercise more, stop smoking, and reduce the quota of sugar you eat.)
And what about cholesterol, LDL (low-density lipoprotein), which is kind of bad? If other tests reveal that you are in danger, your doctor should use the data from your cholesterol test to measure levels of LDL as well. This number should be below 130.
Finally, to help interpret the meaning of all these numbers, your doctor may mention your cholesterol ratio, ie the ratio between total cholesterol and HDL numbers. If the ratio is 35: 1 or lower, you're fine.