Knowing your overall cholesterol level is good, but even better is knowing your LDL and HDL numbers. These two numbers, one the "good" cholesterol and the other the "bad" cholesterol, determine your overall risk or protection from heart disease. Keeping them at the right levels can dramatically improve your health.
Instructions
find out your HDL or LDL cholesterol
1. Understand what HDL and LDL cholesterol levels are. HDL is the so-called "good" cholesterol which can protect you from heart disease. Raising the level of HDL in your blood is a worthy cause. Ideally, your HDL should be at least 40 mg/dl or higher. The LDL cholesterol is the "bad" cholesterol that, when too high, dramatically increases your risk of . An ideal LDL level is below 100 mg/dl, though anything under 129 mg/dl is considered acceptable.
2. Go to the doctor and request a cholesterol test. Make sure you indicate that you want the HDL and LDL levels reported, not just the overall cholesterol. While you might have an overall cholesterol reading that's under 200 mg/dl, which is desirable, your HDL might be too low or LDL too high. Only a test that breaks out the HDL and LDL levels will give you the true picture of your risk from cholesterol.
3. Pay careful attention to the HDL and LDL numbers. Are they at or near your target number?
4. Take an at-home cholesterol test. The accuracy of these tests has improved considerably in recent years. Just make sure you carefully follow the instructions, especially about fasting before the test. Often people who are taking an at-home test forget to fast. Make sure you buy an at-home test that includes the HDL and LDL readings because not all do.
Tags: heart disease, overall cholesterol, at-home test, cholesterol test, from heart, from heart disease