There is no longer any significant medical debate on the issue: to remain in good health we should all be trying to achieve a lower cholesterol level and a lower blood pressure. Lower cholesterol means a healthier heart, less risk of stroke and a longer healthier life.
Achieving a lower level is very important if you have high blood pressure or other risk factors for heart disease and stroke. If your blood shows a high cholesterol level then you could be at risk of heart disease or early death. You should aim to reduce your level immediately – don't delay – start right now and begin the long haul towards achieving better long term health.
How do I know if I have high cholesterol?
If you have a lipid blood test then the result that your doctor will tell you is usually the total cholesterol level. Your doctor will also want to know the level of the HDL (sometimes called good) cholesterol and the LDL (sometimes called the bad).
The blood sample report will also often give details of the level of triglyceride in the blood. Tryglyceride is another kind of blood fat or lipid and is also important in predicting your risk of heart disease and stroke. Lastly – your doctor will use the total cholesterol level divided by the HDL level to calculate a ratio level that allows a reasonably accurate prediction of how great a risk you face if you don't start sorting yourself and your lipid levels out quickly! Start going lower now if this applies to you!
Knowing your cholesterol level is an important first step in working out your risk for heart disease or stroke.
A lipid profile blood test is usually done on what is called a “fasting blood sample.” This normally means taking the blood test first thing in the morning when you have not eaten or drunk anything from midnight the night before.
Lower Lipid Levels: Who should have a cholesterol test?
• Anyone who has any heart disease, such as coronary heart disease, peripheral vascular disease (disease in the blood vessels that supply the limbs) or stroke, should have their lipid levels measured by a doctor on a regular basis
• Anyone, even children, with a strong history of high cholesterol in the family (this is called familial hypercholesterolaemia) should have their levels measured.
• Anyone aged 35 or over should consider having their blood level measured if they have one or more of the following risk factors: family history of early heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, smoking.
Some experts believe that everyone over the age of 20 should have a cholesterol blood test once every five years or so.
Do I need to have a regular blood test if I am trying to lower cholesterol?
You do not need to repeat a cholesterol blood test very often - unless you have very high level. The recommendation in the USA is that anyone over the age of twenty should have their blood lipid levels tested at least once every five years.
You also need to know what your HDL or "good" level is. HDL actually helps clear away 'bad' cholesterol from the blood vessels. 'Bad' cholesterol is called LDL. You can read more about good and bad cholesterol below.
Is there such a thing as a high cholesterol diet?
Cholesterol in small amounts is vital to the normal function of our body. Almost every part of our body needs cholesterol around to maintain normal function and health. Our own body actually makes it in small amounts for that very reason.
But a high lipid level in the blood is a major problem. Having a high level puts you at real risk of having a stroke or a heart attack – or both!
Eating a diet too high in fat – is certainly bad for you and is one cause of a high lipid level in the blood. This kind of diet is only one cause of a high blood cholesterol level however – the other causes are given below.
A diet too high in fat – especially saturated fat – is invariably harmful – and in this sense eating high fat food does put you at risk of early death. It's the high saturated fat content in the diet that's bad for you however – not the amount of cholesterol in the food itself.
Only about 20% of cholesterol in your body comes directly from your diet - the other 80% is produced by the liver. But a diet high in saturated fats can cause the liver to produce more "bad" LDL. No two people are the same when it comes to how their diet affects their blood level. Some people who eat high-fat diets have high lipid levels; others may have entirely normal or even low levels
Read more about Good Cholesterol and Bad Cholesterol Here