Although maintaining your health and wellbeing embraces a variety of factors and circumstances, it is always important to consider the impact that cholesterol can have on your body. High cholesterol can often lead to the onset and risk of heart-disease, and recent studies have revealed it to be the cause of more than two-thousand deaths in America, every day.
Whilst most people recognise the term – cholesterol, it is likely that fewer will have a grasp of what it actually is. Put simply, cholesterol is a waxy, sticky and gelatinous-like substance which is used by the body to ensure it functions correctly. Cholesterol production in the body is produced by the liver, with additional cholesterol levels resulting from the digestion of foodstuffs such as shellfish, certain meats and particularly – diary produce. In more scientific terms, it is a form of lipoprotein that helps to break-down and process fats, and exists in a “good” and “bad” form. “Good” cholesterol transports fats through the body’s systems for the liver to expel and “bad” cholesterol can create a greater risk of heart-disease as it can cause the saturation and hardening of arteries.
Like many things in the body, cholesterol only poses harm when its deposits reach a certain level. High levels of cholesterol is one of the principle causes of heart-disease, and its build-up can be insidious, in that the individual is likely to experience no warning symptoms before damage is inflicted.
However, much research has been conducted relating to how cholesterol levels impact upon the body and it is worth-while considering the following information:
“Good” HDL Cholesterol Level:
- Less than 40 mg for men and less than 50 mg for women usually indicates high risk of heart disease.
- Borderline is 40 mg to 49 mg for men and 50 mg to 59 mg for women.
- Optimal is over 49 mg and 59 mg for men and women respectively.
“Bad” LDL Cholesterol Level:
- Optimal is less than 100 mg
- Near optimal is 100 to 129 mg
- Borderline is 130 to 159 mg
- High cholesterol is 160 to 189 mg
- Very high cholesterol is 190 mg
As a rule, if you are over 30, it is advised to have your cholesterol tested once a year.
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