Here is what you need to know about
cholesterol:
Cholesterol isn’t necessarily a bad thing. A soft, waxy substance naturally found in your body, “good” cholesterol (or HDL) is needed to digest fat, make hormones such as estrogen and progesterone, and produce vitamin D in the skin. You want your HDL to be high.
However, “bad” cholesterol (or LDL) carries cholesterol in the blood and to the cells. Over time, if you have too much “bad” cholesterol, it builds up in the vessels and clogs the flow of blood. You want your LDL to be low.
Triglycerides are formed when the calories you eat are not immediately used as energy. Your fat cells store triglycerides for later use. You need some triglycerides, but too many will lead to heart disease.
Go to the doctor. Get your cholesterol tested and find out what your numbers mean. Here is a quick run down of the results:
Your HDL should be 40 or greater.
Your LDL should be below 100.
Your Triglycerides should be below 150.
Talk to your doctor about all of your risk factors and work to keep your heart healthy!
Eliz Greene works with busy women who want to improve their heart health so they can live longer, feel better, and stress less.
She is the author of the Busy Woman’s Guide to a Healthy Heart and 3 other books on wellness. She writes one of the top 50 health and wellness blogs and is a sought-after women’s wellness speaker. Find out about her women’s wellness programs, workplace wellness programs and programs for healthcare professionals at EmbraceYourHeart.com
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