People nowadays are chomp at the bit to have those scrumptious, spicy meals and relax in those cozy, comfy homes. No wonder most of them have to bear the brunt of bad cholesterol. A type of fat found in your blood, cholesterol can be devastating if it’s bad.

Patients with high risk of heart disease have to undergo certain tests to enable the doctor to gauge the different types of cholesterol levels and their values. These types of cholesterol levels determine how much bad or good cholesterol you have in your blood.

Not all cholesterol is good or bad. There are two types of cholesterol - low-density lipoproteins (LDL) or bad cholesterol, and high-density lipoproteins (HDL) or good cholesterol. The types of cholesterol levels are shown in milligrams per deciliter of blood (mg/dL).
 
Knowing the type of cholesterol levels you have is the first key step to getting healthy. Awareness is always important. Once you know the types of cholesterol levels, you will have an idea on what to do or what medicines to take to live longer and healthier.

Here are the different types of cholesterol levels and their implications.

Total blood cholesterol level

Less than 200mg/dL: Good
Having less than 200mg/dL cholesterol means a low risk of heart disease. Congratulate yourself. But it is always better to be safe than sorry. And to be safe, you should continue to have a healthy lifestyle by eating nutritious foods and working out. Continue to have regular checkups with your doctor.

200-239mg/dL: Borderline High
The cholesterol levels of LDL or bad cholesterol and HDL or good cholesterol must be checked first since it’s likely that you have high HDL and normal LDL. Take a closer look at your HDL and LDL levels. Talk to your doctor on how you can get healthier.

More than 240mg/dL: Higher risk of heart disease

You have higher risk of heart disease. If you have this high type of cholesterol level,   a complete lifestyle change is a must. Eat more fruits, fish, and vegetables. Work out. Stop smoking. Quit alcohol. Ask your doctor for more options on how you can decrease your bad cholesterol levels to live a fuller and healthier life.

LDL or bad cholesterol level

Less than 130mg/dL: Good
130-159mg/dL: Borderline High
Greater than 160mg/dL: Higher risk of heart disease

For this type of cholesterol level, greater the LDL higher will be the risk of heart disease. The condition can get worse if you smoke cigarettes, suffer from diabetes, are overweight, or have a sedentary lifestyle.

You should try to decrease your LDL or bad cholesterol level. Be healthy, try to spend at least 30 minutes outdoors exercising or playing a sport. Stay away from unhealthy food.

HDL or good cholesterol level

Less than 40mg/dL: High risk of heart disease
Greater than 60mg/dL: Reduces risk of heart disease

This is a good type of cholesterol level. If your HDL or good cholesterol level is high, it’s good for you.

If you are a male and have low HDL or less than 40 mg/dL, it indicates higher risk of heart disease. If you are a female with low HDL or less than 50 mg/dL, it indicates higher risk of heart disease.
 
The key here is to increase your HDL or good cholesterol level while decreasing your LDL or bad cholesterol level. To increase your HDL or good cholesterol level, yu should work out, eat more fruits and vegetables, and quit smoking and alcohol altogether.

Create a plan with your doctor on more options you can try to increase or HDL or good cholesterol level.

What type of cholesterol is your enemy?

Obviously, it’s the LDL or bad cholesterol. It must be checked regularly to keep it down to a minimum. An increase of this type of cholesterol level can trigger serious and fatal conditions. Too much of this type of cholesterol can block your arteries, preventing blood from being transported to vital organs of the body such as the brain and heart. If a blood vessel in your heart is blocked by cholesterol, you can have a heart attack. If a blood vessel in your brain is blocked, there can be a danger of stroke.

How to keep cholesterol levels healthy?

Increase your HDL or good cholesterol and decrease your LDL or bad cholesterol. This can all be done by getting healthy. If you want to live a longer and productive life, you got to be healthy. Know the different foods and activities that are good and bad for you. Avoid unhealthy diets at all costs. Stay in shape and keep your waist trim. Hire a personal trainer if needed. After making a lifestyle change plan, the challenge now is to commit to it, and make things happen for you!