Cholesterol Ratio
Everywhere you look today people are talking about cholesterol and whether it fits on a scale but the question is, do you know your cholesterol ratio? Most people don't even think about their cholesterol levels until something happens that makes them think more about it like a heart attack or stroke. To avoid waiting until the last minute, it is important to find out more about what you need.
Although many people know what cholesterol is it is important to know that this is something that is naturally produced by your liver. It is a waxy substance that is found in some foods and it is needed by your body to produce Vitamin D and certain hormones. It also helps your body build cell walls and digest fat. However, too much cholesterol in your system can lead to serious health problems like heart disease.
There was a time when humans had no problems with cholesterol because they ate a healthier diet. Because they were running from larger predators and the food supply was bountiful with fruits, grains and nuts, they were able to maintain weight and a pretty healthy lifestyle.
Unfortunately today, we have fast food that is easier to grab when you are on the run and this encourages you not to take the time to sit down and eat a meal. Though many of these foods taste really good, they are full of the cholesterol that will overload your system and make you sick.
Everyone has heard about the "good" cholesterol or high-density lipoproteins (HDL) and the "bad" cholesterol or low-density lipoproteins (LDL) and you may wonder why it matters so much. Most of the cholesterol that goes into a person's body is the LDL which is what clogs up arteries which keeps your blood from flowing through your whole system the way it is supposed to do.
When your doctor sends you in for a cholesterol test (lipid panel) they are sending you in to check different aspects of your health. There is a lot of talk about HDL, LDL, VLDL and Triglycerides which can be daunting if you aren't sure what they are or what they tell your doctor. Doctors determine a ratio of all of these by dividing your HDL cholesterol into the total of all the cholesterols. The goal is to keep the cholesterol ratio below 5:1 and to balance it below 3.5:1.
When the doctor looks at the overall cholesterol ratio they can use this to determine your level of risk for heart disease. This will not tell your doctor what treatment to use to help you, but it will give them a starting place for other. Instead, they will work with solid numbers for the treatment because it gives them more information.
High cholesterol can be cause by many different things, and heredity is something that plays a big part. There are some people who are very healthy but still have high cholesterol. Also, some people have problems with this when they get older. High cholesterol also causes atherosclerosis which is what happens when blood vessels narrow.