We have heard it all before – don’t eat too much egg yolk, because it contains too much cholesterol and is not good for your health. While the egg yolk does contain more cholesterol, it also contains very healthy fats and proteins. Everything in moderation is important, but it’s also good to know that cholesterol is separated into both LDL and HDL categories. Well, simply put, there is both healthy and dangerous cholesterol. Maintaining healthy cholesterol levels is essential for the health of your heart and cardiovascular system, along with the whole body.
Cholesterol isn’t like fat. It is a waxy and fatty substance made by the liver. As humans, our body needs a certain amount of cholesterol to function properly, by keeping cells healthy, and producing vitamin D and other vital hormones. In other words, cholesterol is responsible for ensuring the cell walls throughout the body are functioning and transporting the right materials to the proper places in the body.
Cholesterol is carried through your bloodstream by carriers made from fat called lipids, and proteins called lipoproteins. When at the doctor, cholesterol levels can be determined by taking blood. Cholesterol is measured in milligrams of cholesterol per deciliter of blood (mg/dL), and the body houses two types of cholesterol: high-density lipoprotein (HDL) and low-density lipoprotein (LDL). HDL is the good or healthy cholesterol, while HDL is the bad cholesterol.
Normally, our liver does produce a sufficient and healthy amount of good cholesterol to satisfy our body’s needs, but in today’s society, especially with an obesity epidemic in the United States, cholesterol often reaches dangerous levels. Higher LDL levels put more people at high-risk for heart disease. So, what is considered healthy cholesterol, and what is the best way to maintain healthy levels?
There is such a thing as healthy cholesterol. As mentioned before, it is called high-density lipoprotein (HDL), which removes the bad cholesterol from the arteries. In other words, HDL carries the bad LDL cholesterol away from the arteries and back to the liver. When it reaches the liver, it is broken down and passed through and out of the body.
High levels of healthy cholesterol are beneficial. HDL helps protect your heart by removing the LDL from your blood, thus preventing bad cholesterol (LDL) buildup in arteries. Cholesterol levels are considered healthy when HDL levels are above 60 mg/dL, or the total levels are under 200 mg/dL. It is important to note, that HDL cholesterol does not completely eliminate LDL cholesterol. Although, if your levels come back healthy, they will also most importantly indicate that you have a healthy heart, putting you at a lower risk for heart disease and stroke.
Studies have shown that low levels of HDL cholesterol automatically increase a person’s risk of heart disease. High levels of LDL cause “hardening of the arteries,” and over time cause the blood flow to and from the heart to slow down, or worse, become completely blocked.
Therefore, to avoid dangerous levels of bad cholesterol (LDL), speak to your doctor immediately. If your cholesterol level is dangerously high, you may be putting yourself at greater risk for developing heart disease and having a stroke. These risk factors are also based on other factors, such as diet and family history, so it is important for one to know how these factors affect your risk of developing heart disease.
Avoiding saturated fats and eating appropriate foods in a healthy diet, as well as exercising, can help you avoid unhealthy cholesterol levels, and reduce the risk of serious health problems.
To learn more about cholesterol, and how to keep your levels healthy, call SC Internal Medicine Associates and Rehabilitation at (803) 749-1111 or request an appointment online.
