The Hdl Ldl Ratio – and Your Risk of Heart Disease

admin — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 22:26:52 +0000

About the RatioHigh Density Lipoprotein is a substance that carries cholesterol particles from your artery walls back through the bloodstream and into the liver where some of it is metabolized and some excreted from your body in the form of bile salts. Statistics show that when the ratio is favorable, your risk of heart problems is minimized, so it makes sense to learn how to increase HDL, and keep the HDL LDL ratio as good as possible.The ratio is determined by taking your LDL, (low-density cholesterol) number, and dividing it by your HDL (high-density cholesterol) number. The result is what doctors use to determine your risk of cardiovascular disease.The higher the HDL, the lower the risk. Lets look at some numbers to give you an idea of how this works.For example: * Total cholesterol is: 200 * HDL is: 50 * LDL is: 150The ratio would be: 3 This would be considered a good ratio, indicating the person would have a lower than average risk of heart disease.Over time, what was considered to be good or safe levels of cholesterol have been adjusted downward, in part due to the push to get more people on cholesterol lowering medications. Foods to raise HDL have not been emphasized for this reason. The current medical model for prevention of cardiovascular disease focuses on drug therapy. This is why you must learn how to increase HDL and get the optimal HDL LDL ratio to prevent heart disease.High-density lipoproteins have recently been found to have potent antioxidant activity, and this may well be the reason for its “protective” role in regards to vascular disease. See the notation below:Vohl MC, Neville TA, Kumarathasan R, Braschi S, Sparks DL: A novel lecithin-cholesterol acyltransferase antioxidant activity prevents the formation of oxidized lipids during lipoprotein oxidation. Biochemistry; 1999 May 11;38(19):5976-81 Several things that are known to raise HDL levels. * Aerobic or interval training exercise * Dietary changes – with balanced fat intake * Eat for your blood type and metabolic type * Specific nutritional supplementsThe foods to increase HDL do it in several ways. Some foods like healthy fats, provide the raw materials or (precursors) your body needs to make HDL. Other foods such as high fiber foods and low glycemic fruits and vegetables may indirectly raise HDL by preventing inflammation, boosting antioxidant status, and lowering blood sugar and insulin. Some of these foods may also possess antioxidant activity themselves and work synergistically with HDL to protect against cardiovascular disease.Specific supplements that will raise HDL levels and help optimize the HDL LDL ratio are: * Fish oil * Pantothenic acid (vitamin B-5) * niacin – (vitamin B-3) * Gugulipid * Coenzyme Q-10 * Carnitine * Vitamin-C * Magnesium * Polycosanol * Vitamin E-complex * Alpha Lipoic Acid * N-Acetyl-Cysteine * CLA – conjugated linoleic acidAll of these supplements help increase HDL levels, however niacin (B-3) and calcium pantothenate (B-5) are the most effective. Focus on them first, and add others if needed.Foods to Raise HDLThere are a number of foods that are claimed to raise HDL levels. Among these are: * Fatty fish such as salmon, tuna, mackerel, sardines * Raw nuts and seeds such as walnuts, pecans, almonds, and flaxseeds * Whole eggs * Onions * Fresh raw low glycemic vegetables – especially dark leafy greens * Oat bran * Alcohol – 1 or 2 drinks per day maximumAction Steps * Get your HDL LDL ratio tested to establish baseline levels * Work in 3 sessions of circuit weight training or interval training per week * Eat for your blood type and metabolic type * Avoid of refined foods as possible – stick to raw fruits and vegetables * Be sure to get plenty of good fats in your daily diet * Supplement with niacin (B-3) and calcium pantothenate (B-5) to raise HDLThe HDL LDL ratio is one of the cornerstones of wellness and antiaging. It’s a benchmark that will help you really reduce your risk of heart disease and ensure a long and healthy life!

Understanding Cholesterol Ratios is a Matter of Life and Death

admin — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 09:41:19 +0000

High cholesterol is not a laughing matter. Since it can cause you to experience heart disease, which can be life threatening, high cholesterol should not be taken lightly. A very important key to lowering cholesterol levels is having an understanding of your cholesterol ratio. Here are a few of the different things that you should know about your total ratio and your HDL LDL ratio. The most important thing that you should know about your total cholesterol ratio is that it is a determining factor of your risk of developing heart disease, which can ultimately, and at worst case, lead to death. The way that it works is by dividing your HDL cholesterol into your overall cholesterol. Keep in mind that cholesterol is measured in milligrams and deciliters, or mg’s and dl’s. Let’s pretend, for example, that your total cholesterol was 200 mg/dl, while your HDL was 50 mg/dl. In this case, your cholesterol ratio would be 4-1. Having cholesterol ratio that is any higher than 5-1 is a sign that you may be at risk for heart disease. Keep in mind that there is also something called the HDL LDL ratio, which needs to be taken into consideration as well. As you can probably guess, this ratio measures the ratio between your HDL cholesterol and LDL cholesterol. This ratio is a larger determining factor of the risk of heart disease. The reason is because it shows the ratio between your good cholesterol and bad cholesterol, which is the largest factor that determines your risk of heart disease. The formula to determine HDL LDL ratio is much more complicated and, thus, it tends to be very pricey. Overall, however, your HDL to LDL cholesterol ratio should not be any higher than 4.4 and you should strive to keep it at or below 3.3. Any HDL to LDL ratio level above 7 to 11 indicates a high risk of heart disease. Keep in mind that there are several things that you can do in order to lower your cholesterol. Making healthier food choices and following an exercise routine are just two of the many different things that you can do to keep both your HDL to LDL ratio and your total cholesterol ratio down. And there are also very effective measures you can take using natural and organic cholesterol lowering treatments to help lower your cholesterol ratio.

LDL HDL Ratio » Hdl Ldl Ratio

The Hdl Ldl Ratio – and Your Risk of Heart Disease

Understanding Cholesterol Ratios is a Matter of Life and Death