Cholesterol Basics Part Deux

There are four basic types of cholesterol commonly listed on a fasting lipid profile.

1. Total cholesterol: this is the total amount of cholesterol in your blood.  This number alone is meaningless without a breakdown of the other cholesterol types.
2. HDL (high density lipoprotein): this is good cholesterol.  Think of it as a truant officer; HDL picks up extra cholesterol from the body's tissue and takes it to the liver for disposal.  Exercise increases HDL levels.
3. LDL (low density lipoprotein): this is bad cholesterol.  Deposits extra cholesterol in vessel walls, thereby contributing to hardening of the arteries and heart disease.
4. Triglycerides: the major form of circulating fat found in the body.  The function of triglycerides is to provide energy for cells.  These levels increase directly after a meal, which is why a lipid profile should only be drawn on a fasting patient.

Maintaining an appropriate weight, eating a healthy diet, exercising and not smoking are all factors that will help keep your cholesterol levels within healthy levels.  But what if you're already doing all of these things and your cholesterol levels are out-of-range?  Stay tuned for a discussion of other ways to treat your high cholesterol.