For those who are concerned about their cholesterol, or fear that they may have high cholesterol, it is important to know your LDL HDL ratio to determine your overall health. Knowing the facts about cholesterol and how it can be handled will significantly help you take charge of your cholesterol, making a significant difference in your health.
There are two types of cholesterol that are present in the average person’s bloodstream. The positive cholesterol is known as HDL (high density lipoprotein); this kind of cholesterol works by transporting excess cholesterol throughout the body until it reaches the liver, where it is properly disposed of. LDL (low density lipoprotein) is known as the negative kind of cholesterol, and is more plentiful in the bloodstream because it works faster to transport cholesterol throughout the body. This kind, if one has too much of it, can lead to heart disease and the hardening of arteries, which increases your risk of heart attack.
Maintaining a healthy LDL and HDL ratio, bad cholesterol to good cholesterol, is the key requirement of any long-term cholesterol plan. Always consult with your doctor before setting out on your cholesterol plan. Based on your current ratio, a trained doctor can help you decide which plan is best for you to take. Though the ratio can give you an idea, it has been recently decided by many healthcare providers that instead of relying on the ratio, it is more important to focus on the absolute numbers of the actual good cholesterol and bad cholesterol. These plans will focus on keeping good cholesterol high and getting bad cholesterol lower, in the same way that the ratio plans have done.
If the state of your cholesterol is important to you, talk to your doctor today, and find out your LDL HDL ratio and take the necessary actions towards better health.