Good Cholesterol or Bad: What's the Difference?

According to the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, blood is watery and cholesterol (pronounced ko-LES-ter-ol) is fatty. When put together, they do not mix well, just like any water and oil combination. The body makes its own cholesterol naturally to make vitamin D, hormones and material to help digestion, so normally it is a good thing the body needs. It is also found in some foods.

How does Cholesterol Normally Act?

Because cholesterol and blood don't mix well, the cholesterol is carried in the bloodstream throughout the body in two kinds of little pockets called lipoproteins. The American Heart Association emphasizes that healthy levels of both are important, with one commonly known as the LDL, or the bad, Low-Density Lipoprotein, and the other called the HDL, or the bad, High-Density Lipoprotein. The healthy goal is to keep LDL cholesterol low to keep low risk of heart disease, and HDL cholesterol high to keep chances of a healthy heart high.

How Do I Learn My Cholesterol Level?

According to both the Healthy Heart Guide and the American Heart Association a blood test is taken to prove if a person's cholesterol is normal or high. Three simple cholesterol blood number markers are found from this test to determine the protocol decisions made between patient and doctor.

What is normal for one person is not for another. Cholesterol levels are different for each person at different times in life, but can be a level at which health is put at danger. Here are the normal Cholesterol levels as stated by the American Heart Association:

Total Cholesterol, Less than 200 mg/dL (lower is healthier)

LDL Cholesterol, up to 129 mg/dL (the lower the healthier)

HDL Cholesterol, no lower than 35mg/dL, Optimal Levels: Over 50 mg/dL (the higher the healthier)

What is High Cholesterol?

High cholesterol is when the LDL cholesterol level is over 129mg. It is considered a silent killer, because there are no symptoms. Unless checked on a regular basis, as determined at intervals agreed upon between patient and doctor, a person may consider himself quite healthy. But he may be a ticking time bomb for heart failure or stroke. High cholesterol is when the LDL cholesterol quietly builds up on the blood vessel walls. When it builds up on blood vessels walls, cholesterol is called plaque.

The higher the LDL cholesterol the more likely it will lead to heart disease. The higher the HDL cholesterol the more likely the person will not get heart disease. If the plaque continues to build up in the blood vessels, the blood cannot pass through because the blood vessels get to narrow for the blood to flow as it should. The cholesterol building in the blood vessels can lead to heart disease, heart attack, stroke or death.

What Can I Do About High Cholesterol?

Slow down the build-up of LDL cholesterol by eating right and getting up and moving around. If that's not enough, talk to a license physician about prescription medications that may supplement the body's natural function in using up and getting rid of cholesterol, so that it does not clog up the blood vessels.

There are many alternatives in today's medicine and natural alternatives to assist the human body in dealing with the genetic and the food causes of high cholesterol.

Sources

National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute: www.nhlbi.nih.gov

American Heart Association: www.americanheart.org

Healthy Heart Guide: www.healthy-heart-guide.com

Lynn Pritchett: author personal knowledge

Disclaimer

The information in this article is for informational purposes only. For any medical issue seek the advice of a licensed physician who is familiar with the patient's actual medical history in determining correct protocol for care. The internet is not a replacement for a direct care professional appointment concerning high cholesterol or any health problem. It is only for general health information.