Cholesterol is seen as being the leading cause of heart disease in the western world with heart disease being the biggest cause of preventable deaths each year. LDL, HDL, triglycerides, total cholesterol, ratios, etc. If you don't know what these all mean and how they indicate whether or not you're at risk of heart disease then you've come to the right place.
Low Density Lipoproteins (LDL) = Bad Cholesterol
When we think of cholesterol, the type we're usually thinking of whether we know it or not is this. LDL is the cholesterol that blocks our arteries and causes an increase in blood pressure due to the increased resistance when it comes to the blood traveling around our bodies.
High Density Lipoproteins (HDL) = Good Cholesterol
This cholesterol is good because it helps clear the LDL cholesterol and therefore keeps the arteries from getting blocked and the best way to get your HDL levels higher is by exercising.
Triglycerides = The Worst
Triglycerides aren't cholesterol but they are lipids found in your blood that are mostly affected by carbohydrates and sugar. High triglyceride levels is associated with type 2 diabetes, hypothyroidism, and liver or kidney disease. More than that however, many medical professionals view triglycerides as being the primary “enabler” of heart disease given that’s it’s thought to increase your LDL (bad) cholesterol and lower your HDL (good) cholesterol and thus dramatically increases your susceptibility more than just having high LDL levels would.
Total Cholesterol
This is calculated by combining all three blood lipids (LDL, HDL and triglycerides) with the following formula: LDL + HDL + 20% Triglycerides. Generally, I think your total cholesterol number isn’t the best way to judge your risk of heart disease because while it can indicate your risk, looking at your ratios is a much better way to determine your heart health.
Ratios
The two ratios are total cholesterol (TC):HDL and triglycerides (TRIG):HDL and the optimum result for TC:HDL is 3.5:1 or lower and it’s 1:1 for TRIG:HDL with you not wanting it any higher than 2:1.
