| Learning how to manage cholesterol and LDL levels is | | | | good as the sum of its components and you should |
| an important part of preventing heart and artery | | | | talk to your doctor to determine the level that is right |
| disease. By keeping blood cholesterol and LDL levels | | | | for you. |
| low you will be taking a giant step in preventing a heart | | | | Is it really necessary to have cholesterol tested? |
| attack or stroke. On the other hand if cholesterol and | | | | Most medical professionals believe this is indeed the |
| LDL levels are consistently high plaque deposits can, | | | | case. After all how do you know if a problem exists |
| and often do, clog the arteries – or in some cases | | | | until it is too late without having a cholesterol or more |
| block the arteries completely – either drastically | | | | through blood lipid profile done. The guidelines are fairly |
| reducing blood and oxygen to the heart or stopping the | | | | straightforward with all adults over the age of 20 |
| flow altogether. The end results for hundreds of | | | | tested once every five years. The advantage of |
| thousands of unsuspecting people is shortness of | | | | starting early is that it identifies any potential underlying |
| breath, heart attack, edema, chest pain, or other heart | | | | problems and give your medical professional a starting |
| related health problems. Certainly not a list any of us | | | | point to compare to as you grow older. This will allow |
| would enjoy being a part of. | | | | for any medical problems to be identified early, thus |
| The story behind LDL cholesterol is one of both good | | | | setting the stage for better and less invasive |
| and bad. On one hand we need a certain amount of | | | | treatment options. While the five year plan is the norm |
| LDL cholesterol for muscle and cell health, on the other | | | | your doctor may decide that annual testing is a better |
| hand too much opens the door to arterial blockage. | | | | idea, especially if your number are not quite up to par. |
| According to the American Heart Association the | | | | What else? Lowering and maintaining heart healthy |
| average person who has one or more of the | | | | cholesterol and LDL levels, in most cases, is about |
| common risk factors for heart attack or stroke | | | | changing old habits, adopting new healthier habits, and |
| (genetics, a person history of heart disease, high blood | | | | enlisting the help of convention medications such as |
| pressure, diabetes, smokes, ongoing and | | | | statins or natural cholesterol reducing remedies if |
| disproportionate stress levels, inactivity) should shoot | | | | needed. Put simply, this basically means leading a heart |
| for a LDL cholesterol reading of 100 milligrams for | | | | healthy lifestyle consisting of daily exercise, a low |
| each deciliter of blood. For those who have no | | | | saturated fat diet, and a comprehensive and ongoing |
| personal or family history of heart disease and can | | | | weight management program to decrease LDL (bad |
| boast of having none of the risk factors listed above, | | | | cholesterol levels), and bring overall cholesterol down to |
| below 125 mg/dl is considered acceptable. | | | | acceptable heart healthy levels. Certainly the |
| Total cholesterol is the sum of the your bloods total | | | | aforementioned statin drugs will be one of your options |
| cholesterol content and is another important | | | | as well but they do carry a number of serious label |
| benchmark in determining heart and artery health. For | | | | warnings. The side effect risks have made natural |
| total cholesterol. Under 200 milligrams per deciliter of | | | | cholesterol reduction supplements combined with diet |
| blood is considered to be heart healthy by most | | | | modification and an active lifestyle a safe and |
| estimates. But a total cholesterol reading is just as | | | | effective three step combination worth considering. |