Total Cholesterol:
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Total Cholesterol is made up of three types…
- LDL
- VLDL
- HDL
LDL: The Bad Cholesterol
It is important to note that cholesterol is absolutely necessary for survival. It must travel through the bloodstream in order to get to the parts of the body where it can be used. It does so by means of little "packets".
One type of packet is LDL or Low-Density Lipoproteins, commonly known as "bad cholesterol". These are responsible for transporting the majority of cholesterol through the blood to the places where it can be used.
Unfortunately LDL is very generous.It tends to deposit some of its cargo along the way leaving a hard buildup on the interior walls of the arteries.
This buildup of fatty streaks is known as atherosclerosis.As this buildup increases on the walls of our blood vessels blood flow is restricted. Severe blood flow reduction can lead to a deadening of portions of the heart resulting in heart attack. Therefore it is important to keep LDL levels low.
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Heart Health Note:
Omega-3 has been shown to reduce atherosclerosis buildup and make platelets less sticky. Click here to learn more. |
Read more about atherosclerosis.
VLDL: The Ugly Part Of Total Cholesterol
VLDL (Very Low Density Lipoproteins) compose the "ugly" part of the trio. VLDL is composed mostly of triglycerides. What makes VLDL so ugly is that it tends to convert to LDL in the blood thereby contributing to the danger mentioned above. A diet high in triglycerides, therefore, is a bad idea.
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Heart Health Note:
The American Heart Association recommends 2-4 grams of Omega-3 for anyone with high triglycerides. Click here to learn more. |
By the way, getting high quality (and high potency) Omega-3 supplements doesn't have to cost you a fortune.
Here is a great Omega-3 supplement at a very good price.
To learn more about an all natural cholesterol care supplement please click here.
Click here to read more about Triglycerides
HDL: The Good Of Total Cholesterol
HDL (you have already guessed HDL stands for High Density Lipoproteins) completes the trilogy taking center stage as "good cholesterol". These lipoproteins carry cholesterol away from body cells and tissues to the liver for excretion from the body. This process is known as reverse cholesterol transport.
This is why low levels of HDL along with high levels of LDL are associated with an increased risk of coronary heart disease.The LDL deposits cholesterol in the blood vessels while the HDL works to remove it and transport it for excretion.
Total blood cholesterol then is calculated by adding the levels of the three lipoproteins in the blood. An often-used test is to add the levels of all three lipoprotein types. The total of the three is your total blood cholesterol. Divide this total by the amount of HDL.
Ratio = Total Cholesterol / HDL. Ideal ratio is 3.5 or less.
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