The Healthy Numbers For Cholesterol You Need To Achieve To Protect Yourself Against Heart Disease

You should check your cholesterol numbers on a regular basis, given the strong link between heart disease and high cholesterol. The most accurate way of finding out whether or not you have healthy numbers for cholesterol levels LDL, HDL and triglycerides, is through a fasting blood test.

While cholesterol is needed by the body for essential functions like cell membrane protection and vitamin D production, high levels of LDL cholesterol and triglycerides, or low levels of HDL cholesterol, can lead to coronary artery disease, which is why having healthy numbers for cholesterol is so vital.

LDL cholesterol can build up in the walls of your arteries, causing blockages to occur in the coronary arteries that supply blood to your brain and heart. When these blockages occur, you could have a stroke or heart attack. This is why LDL cholesterol is referred to as the bad cholesterol.

When it comes to HDL cholesterol, which is the good cholesterol, the higher the number, the better your protection is against coronary artery disease. This is because HDL protects you by taking away the bad cholesterol from your arteries.

Triglyceride levels should not be ignored either, as they are also a contributing factor for heart disease.

Let's take a look at what healthy numbers for cholesterol look like:

LDL Numbers

* Anything less than 100 is optimal, and gives you the best heart health protection.

* 100 - 120 is near optimal, but don't settle for this, always aim for the optimal level to reduce your risk of developing heart disease.

* 130 - 159 is borderline high and puts you at risk of having a heart attack or stroke.

* 160 - 189 is high and places you firmly in the high risk category for heart disease, stroke or heart attack.

* 190 and above is dangerously high, and puts your life at risk.

HDL Numbers

* 60 and above is considered the optimal level for men and women and protects your heart.

* Less than 40 for men and 50 for women is a low level of HDL, and a major risk factor for heart disease, heart attack or stroke.

Triglyceride Numbers

* Less than 150 is considered a normal level and gives you protection against a number of serious illnesses, including high blood pressure, diabetes, heart disease, heart attack or stroke.

* 150 - 199 is borderline high and puts your health at risk.

* 200 - 499 is high and puts you at serious risk of developing those dangerous illnesses.

* 500 and above is very high, and put you at definite risk of developing any of the aforementioned dangerous and life-threatening illnesses.

Knowing the healthy numbers for cholesterol is all well and good, but it is of no benefit if you fail to take action.

Areas you can immediately improve on are your diet and exercise. Reducing or eliminating foods that are high in saturated fats, trans fats and cholesterol, will lower LDL while increasing HDL.

Exercise is another great way to improve HDL levels, and lower LDL at the same time.

Omega 3 has a positive impact on cholesterol and can help lower LDL cholesterol while improving HDL. Fish like salmon, mackerel, tuna, and herring are excellent sources of Omega 3. If you don't like fish, then consider taking a good quality natural fish oil supplement.

Also, adding a cholesterol supplement to your daily routine, with natural ingredients like policosanol, lecithin, D-limonene, theaflavins and phytosterols, will help you achieve those healthy numbers for cholesterol. Those ingredients are renowned for lowering LDL and triglycerides and increasing HDL too.

Now you know the healthy numbers for cholesterol, as well as the ways in which you can improve them, to give yourself better heart health protection, as well as protection against a multitude of other serious illnesses.

If you are ready to finally achieve healthy numbers for cholesterol, protecting you against coronary artery disease, stroke and heart attack, then visit my website today, where I share what I personally successfully used, and continue to use, for brilliant cholesterol levels and fantastic heart health.

Mary Ruddy is a strong advocate of natural and safe health care and enjoys nothing more than helping others make a positive impact on their lives. To find out more about how you too can improve your health naturally visit her website today at curing-cholesterol.com curing-cholesterol.com/

Visit her site curing-cholesterol.com curing-cholesterol.com/ to learn the natural and safe way for lowering high cholesterol and raising good cholesterol.