You might be asking, “What is good cholesterol or cholesterolemia?”
This time, the news about cholesterol isn’t negative like usual.
We’re looking at cholesterolemia in a very positive light because of its better half, HDL or high-density lipoproteins.
What are lipoproteins and why are they important?
Lipoproteins are not the same thing as cholesterolemia.
Rather, they are the little tools that transport cholesterolemia through the bloodstream.
Think of lipoproteins as the cars cholesterolemia drives to get around. For example, consider this:
You would agree that a BMW 3 Series is a better car than a 1980 Pinto, right?
The BMW will get you where you need to go quickly and efficiently with little risk of breakdowns or unexpected damage.
Conversely, think of good cholesterol (HDL) as driving a BMW, and bad cholesterol (LDL) as driving the Pinto.
The high-density lipoproteins can transport cholesterol quickly and efficiently, with more capability to relocate it where it needs to go.
HDL transports extra cholesterol to the liver where it can be broken down.
LDL, since it doesn’t drive as good of a car, tends to build up in arteries, as fat, overwhelm the liver, and become visceral fat around the internal organs.
HDL is important for maintaining balance in the body, and ensuring that LDL doesn’t take over completely.
Because of HDL’s responsibility, it isn’t enough to just eliminate or cut back on cholesterolemia in your diet.
You need to make sure you consume an adequate amount of the good stuff as well!
Here’s how:
- Include oils such as safflower, olive, and coconut oil in your diet
- Eat fatty fish, such as salmon, because it contains Omega-3’s
- Get your fill of avocados, almonds, and walnuts!
How Much Cholesterol Is Healthy?
If you’ve had a recent cholesterol test (lipid profile) done, your doctor will have explained to you what healthy cholesterolemia levels look like.
However, if you want a better idea of what those levels looks like, know that:
- Men’s and women’s HDL cholesterolemia should be at least 60 mg (of cholesterolemia) per deciliter of blood.
If your good cholesterol levels fall below these levels, your body doesn’t have the tools it needs to rid itself of extra cholesterolemia in the blood.
We know, we know, it’s kind of confusing. You thought that it was a good thing to just have low cholesterol all around, and now we’re telling you “well, it depends”.
Don’t freak out just yet! We have more articles on cholesterolemia and how you can keep your levels healthy, why it’s important, and more detail on what it is.
For more information, see the following posts:
- Cholesterol Lowering Foods–9 Foods GUARANTEED to Help Lower Your Cholesterol
- 6 Ways To Increase Good Cholesterol
- Lower Cholesterol Naturally
Resources:
http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/Conditions/Cholesterol/AboutCholesterol/Good-vs-Bad-Cholesterol_UCM_305561_Article.jsp
http://www.webmd.com/cholesterol-management/guide/understanding-numbers
https://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/magazine/issues/summer12/articles/summer12pg6-7.html