The Importance of Knowing Normal Cholesterol Levels

High cholesterol levels can increase the risk of heart disease, stroke, and poor blood circulation. Knowing cholesterol levels in the blood is an effort to prevent the disease.

Cholesterol is a compound of fat produced by various cells in the body, and about a quarter of the cholesterol produced in the body is produced by liver cells. Basically the body needs cholesterol to stay healthy.



However, high cholesterol levels can increase the risk of heart disease, stroke, and poor blood circulation. Checking cholesterol in the blood is useful for detecting these risks.

Cholesterol level checks should be done periodically in order to monitor overall health conditions. Then, when should we start checking cholesterol levels?

If you smoke, have excess weight, high blood pressure, have diabetes and there are families that have a history of heart disease, you should begin the examination since the age of 20 years.

However, if you do not smoke and do not have these diseases, the examination can begin at the age of 35 years. If the results are normal, you can check it again every 5 years. But, if you have high cholesterol levels, it's best to check more often. Moreover, if you have diabetes, heart disease and kidney problems.

There are two types of cholesterol, namely good cholesterol and bad cholesterol. Good cholesterol (HDL-High Density Lipoprotein) serves to prevent atheroma or narrowing of blood vessels due to fat. While bad cholesterol (LDL-Low Density Lipoprotein) is one of the main causes of atheroma formation. Apart from good and bad cholesterol, there are other forms of fat in the blood called triglycerides.

Atheroma itself is a trigger for heart disease, also known as atheroclerosis or hardening of the arteries. Atheroma is a fatty plaque that builds up in the arterial walls of the arteries. After months, even years, the plaque thickens and expands. At that moment, blood vessels are blocked and make blood flow not smooth. This condition can cause heart attacks, strokes, or other serious problems.

Every person's cholesterol level varies depending on what he consumes. In addition, everyone can have a different cholesterol level even if they consume the same food. In some people, high cholesterol can only be caused by hereditary factors.

Before checking cholesterol levels, you must fast for 9-12 hours. Measuring cholesterol levels is done by knowing how many milligrams (mg) of cholesterol is found in each deciliter (dL) of blood.

Here are the normal levels for the types of cholesterol in the blood.

Good cholesterol

The higher the level of good cholesterol or HDL, the better for health. This is because HDL protects from heart disease. A minimum HDL level of 60 mg / dL or more can help reduce the risk of heart disease. Conversely, HDL levels of less than 40 mg / dL actually increase the risk of heart disease.

Bad cholesterol

Because of its evil nature, LDL or bad cholesterol should be at a low level or can be tolerated by the body, which is less than 100 mg / dL. The amount of LDL 100-129 mg / dL can be said as a tolerance threshold. If you exceed this amount, bad cholesterol can cause various health problems such as atheroma, heart disease, and stroke.

The amount of LDL 130-159 mg / dL can be said to enter a high threshold, and if the number has reached 160-189 mg / dL it has entered a high level. While the amount of LDL 190 mg / dL and the rest, is already at a very high level.

Triglycerides

This fat can also increase the risk of heart disease. So, the lower the triglyceride level, the better for health. The amount of triglycerides 150-199 mg / dL can be said to be at a high threshold, and the amount of 200 mg / dL or more includes high triglyceride levels. Some people need treatment if they have triglyceride levels at both levels.

Total cholesterol

Total cholesterol is a combination of the amount of good cholesterol, bad cholesterol and triglycerides in every deciliter of blood. Usually, just looking at total cholesterol and HDL levels can already describe the general condition of your cholesterol levels. However, if total cholesterol is 200 mg / dL or more, or HDL is less than 40 mg / dL, you need to do a complete cholesterol check that includes LDL and triglycerides.

Cholesterol levels less than 200 mg / dL can still be tolerated. The amount of cholesterol 200-239 mg / dL has entered the high threshold. If the amount reaches 240 mg / dL or more including high cholesterol levels.

Food Required

To maintain normal cholesterol levels, avoid foods that contain trans fat. We can find this fat in fried foods, margarine and snacks such as biscuits.

Here are some types of foods that you can consume to reduce cholesterol levels in the blood.

• Fish such as sardines, mackerel, salmon, and tuna, are rich in omega 3 which is good for the heart.
• Oatmeal, rich in soluble fiber which can reduce the level of bad cholesterol. In a day, you need at least 5-10 grams of soluble fiber. One half cup of cooked oatmeal contains about 6 grams of fiber. You can add fruit on top of the oatmeal porridge to enrich the flavor.
• Nuts such as almonds, pistachios, hazelnuts, and others can reduce the risk of heart disease. You can replace fatty foods like cheese and meat with nuts.
• Olive oil, contains antioxidants that can reduce the level of bad cholesterol. Use two tablespoons of olive oil in a day for your salad or cuisine.

Maintaining nutritious food intake to limit bad cholesterol levels is good, but the steps to living a healthy lifestyle are also important. Start stopping bad old habits, like smoking and consuming liquor. Instead, start getting used to exercising regularly.

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