ANSWERS: 1
  • Low HDL levels put you at risk of developing certain, often deadly, heath conditions. Although genetics play a large role in your cholesterol levels, especially your ability to change your HDL level, you can play a big role too.

    Identification

    Everyone has both "good" cholesterol and "bad" cholesterol in their bodies. The "good" cholesterol is known as high density lipoprotein or HDL, and the "bad" cholesterol is known as low density lipoprotein or LDL.

    Significance

    While LDL puts fatty deposits into your arteries and puts you at risk for stroke and heart attack, HDL helps to take these deposits out of your arteries and decreases the risk of developing these conditions.

    Potential

    The best HDL level is more than 60 milligrams per deciliter of blood. The more "strikes" you have against your health, like diabetes or a family history of early onset heart disease, the more HDL you should have in your system to keep you healthy.

    Prevention/Solution

    The choices you make and lifestyle you lead can mean the difference between average HDL levels and dangerously low HDL levels. Drinking a glass or two of wine per day, eating nuts and grains and moderately exercising at least three times per week can all help raise your HDL level.

    Warning

    Very low HDL is 40 milligrams per deciliter for men and 50 milligrams per deciliter for women. You should get a new reading every one to five years, as recommended by your doctor, as levels can change depending on various factors.

    Source:

    National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute

    MSN Health

    University of New Mexico

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