Lab results: LDL-124,9 HDL-64,7 cholesterol ? ! include oatmeal on your diet medication is probably the fastest. You can try omega 3 fish oil capsules, flax seeds or flax seed oil, red rice yeast also works....all of these take time and must be combined with a low fat diet to work. Good Luck Medication like lipitor would help. Try to cut down on meat and meat products and eat more vegetables. LDL only comes from animals, so anything else would be healthier. that LDL value 124 is considered "normal" provided you have less than 2 risk factors for heart disease
risk factors being (age>55, hypertension, smoking, diabetes, family history of heart disease, and a low HDL <40) Your LDL is not so high, don't worry. Eat fat free food, many fruits, and vegetables, and very few salt. Good Luck!! What Are Healthy Levels of Cholesterol?
Your total blood cholesterol level
Your total blood cholesterol will fall into one of these categories:
Desirable 鈥?Less than 200 mg/dL
Borderline high risk 鈥?200鈥?39 mg/dL
High risk 鈥?240 mg/dL and over
Here is some more explanation about each of these categories.
Desirable
If your total cholesterol is less than 200 mg/dL, your heart attack risk is relatively low, unless you have other risk factors. Even with a low risk, it's still smart to eat foods low in saturated fat, trans fat and cholesterol, and also get plenty of physical activity. Have your cholesterol levels measured every five years 鈥?or more often if you're a man over 45 or a woman over 55.
Borderline high risk
People whose cholesterol level is from 200 to 239 mg/dL are borderline high risk. About a third of American adults are in this (borderline) group; almost half of adults have total cholesterol levels below 200 mg/dL.
Have your cholesterol and HDL rechecked in one to two years if:
Your total cholesterol is in this range.
Your HDL is less than 40 mg/dL.
You don鈥檛 have other risk factors for heart disease.
You should also lower your intake of foods high in saturated fat and cholesterol to reduce your blood cholesterol level to below 200 mg/dL. Your doctor may order another blood test to measure your LDL cholesterol. Ask your doctor to discuss your LDL cholesterol with you. Even if your total cholesterol is between 200 and 239 mg/dL, you may not be at high risk for a heart attack. Some people 鈥?such as women before menopause and young, active men who have no other risk factors 鈥?may have high HDL cholesterol and desirable LDL levels. Ask your doctor to interpret your results. Everyone's case is different.
High risk
If your total cholesterol level is 240 or more, it's definitely high. Your risk of heart attack and stroke is greater. In general, people who have a total cholesterol level of 240 mg/dL have twice the risk of coronary heart disease as people whose cholesterol level is 200 mg/dL.
You need more tests. Ask your doctor for advice. About 20 percent of the U.S. population has high blood cholesterol levels.
Your LDL cholesterol level
Your LDL cholesterol level greatly affects your risk of heart attack and stroke. The lower your LDL cholesterol, the lower your risk. In fact, it鈥檚 a better gauge of risk than total blood cholesterol. Your LDL cholesterol will fall into one of these categories:
LDL Cholesterol Levels
Less than 100 mg/dL Optimal
100 to 129 mg/dL Near Optimal/ Above Optimal
130 to 159 mg/dL Borderline High
160 to 189 mg/dL High
190 mg/dL and above Very High
The key point to remember is, the lower your LDL cholesterol, the lower your risk. Your doctor may prescribe a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol, regular exercise and a weight management program if you're overweight. If you can't lower your cholesterol with these efforts, medications may also be prescribed to lower your LDL cholesterol. Check these categories and the goals for treatment that can lower your risk of heart attack.
LDL level at which to consider drug therapy
LDL Level Goal
People without coronary heart disease and with fewer than two risk factors 190 mg/dL or higher* 160 mg/dL or lower
People without coronary heart disease and with two or more risk factors 160 mg/dL or higher 130 mg/dL or lower
People with coronary heart disease 130 mg/dL or higher** 100 mg/dL or lower
*In men less than age 35 and premenopausal women with LDL cholesterol levels of 190 to 219 mg/dL, drug therapy should be delayed except in high-risk patients such as those with diabetes.
**In coronary heart disease patients with LDL cholesterol levels of 100 to 129 mg/dL, the doctor should consider whether to initiate drug treatment in addition to the American Heart Association Therapeutic Lifestyle Changes (TLC) diet.
If you don't know if you have other risk factors for heart disease, check out the American Heart Association's list.
Your HDL cholesterol level
In the average man, HDL cholesterol levels range from 40 to 50 mg/dL. In the average woman, they range from 50 to 60 mg/dL. HDL cholesterol that's less than 40 mg/dL is low. Low HDL cholesterol puts you at high risk for heart disease. Smoking, being overweight and being sedentary can all result in lower HDL cholesterol. If you have low HDL cholesterol, you can help raise it by:
Not smoking
Losing weight (or maintaining a healthy weight)
Being physically active for at least 30鈥?0 minutes a day on most or all days of the week
People with high blood triglycerides usually have lower HDL cholesterol and a higher risk of heart attack and stroke. Progesterone, anabolic steroids and male sex hormones (testosterone) also lower HDL cholesterol levels. Female sex hormones raise HDL cholesterol levels. I would start by taking one aspirin daily and cut back on fried foods and exercise daily as well. Drink lots of fluids and your LDL will reduce magnificenlty without medication unless you are in a severe category where the only option is Simastivin. |
