Heart-Healthy Eating
Know Your Numbers
The American Heart Association recommends that everyone age 20 and older should have their cholesterol measured at least once every 5 years. If possible, request a “lipoprotein profile” to get the best possible information about your heart disease risk. You must have it done after a 9-12 hour fast. Here is the information you will receive.
Total Cholesterol : This is the main value for determining the total amount of cholesterol in your blood.
Total Cholesterol Level |
Category |
Less than 200 mg/dL |
Desirable |
200-239 mg/dL |
Borderline high |
240 mg/dL and above |
High |
One number does not tell the whole story. You should also know:
LDL, or Low Density Lipoprotein cholesterol … the “bad” cholesterol. This number is influenced by your diet. It is the main source of cholesterol buildup, causing blockage in your arteries.
LDL Cholesterol Level |
LDL Cholesterol Category |
Less than 100 mg/dL |
Optimal |
100-129 mg/dL |
Near optimal/above optimal |
130-159 mg/dL |
Borderline high |
160-189 mg/dL |
High |
190 mg/dL and above |
Very high |
HDL, or High Density Lipoprotein cholesterol…the “good” cholesterol . The higher the better. It seems to be protective because it keeps cholesterol from building up in the arteries. HDL is less influenced by diet. The best way to increase HDL is through exercise. Smoking seems to decrease HDL … not a good thing.
While an optimum level is not known, a level less than 40 mg/dl requires further medical attention.
TG or triglycerides … just another type of fat in your blood. Even though it’s fat, the two dietary factors which appear to influence TG are being overweight and eating too much sugar.
TG Level |
TG Category |
150-199 mg/dl |
Borderline high |
>200 mg/dl |
High |
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