HDL and LDL Cholesterol options in MFP Diary?

chrisloters

wkwebby wrote: »

So is it safe to assume MOST LDL cholesterol is from saturated and trans fats?

No. LDL's are how the body delivers cholesterol to the body, this is normal, LDL's are a normal and necessary function of the body. Within the LDL family you'll find different sizes described and the ones that are the most atherogenic are the very small dense ones and the dietary influences that promote those are highly refined carbs and sugar and not saturated fat. Trans fats are not actually saturated fat but highly processed polyunsaturated fats, mostly from omega 3's and 6's to a lesser degree.

Kind of scary knowing how little control I have over my HDL and LDL within my body.
Since you seem educated in this, mind giving me some dietary tips too get it lower without medication?

Triglycerides are the third cholesterol metric used in blood panels. HDL stands for High Density Lipoproteins (the good stuff) and LDL stands for the Low Density Lipoproteins (one of the bad cholesterols in body). The higher you can get your HDL, the better. This can be increased by exercising regularly. Regularly means 30-60 minutes or more a day, and not 3 hours once or twice a week which will help, but the consistency is how to affect that number. Triglycerides can be brought down by lowering carb and simple sugar intake in your diet (breads, pastas, rice, and refined sugars, etc.). Trigs will be increased by fruit sugars, but of course, the effect isn't the same in these numbers in the long run (again, just a factor of how the body digests and works to break down the foods). LDL can be decreased in diet only by consuming less saturated fats, and increasing your consumption of the unsaturated (to a reasonable degree). Too much unsaturated fats will still be turned into LDL eventually so too much will adversely affect LDL number as well.

Higher HDL numbers (above 60) is cardio protective so you get to take off one risk factor when it comes to heart disease. Optimally, LDL should be around 100, Trigs around 150, and HDL as high as you can get it but minimum of 40. Total cholesterol is supposed to be around 200.

Edited: Oh, supposedly diet and exercise can only change your numbers by up to 10%-20%. Genetics will be the remaining percentage.

Exercise may prove to be really beneficial in controlling cholesterol level since we're burning fats during the routine but the the 10-20% change in numbers from exercise and diet saddened me at some point-our family have history of high blood pressure. I am also taking these Omega 3 supplements as an alternative anti inflammatory for RA... Would these supplement intake of Omega 3 would also be beneficial for improving over all heart health? Ever since I was diagnosed with arthritis(RA) we were very particular with our diet. Well, every lil percentage added to the count in improving heart health works instead of not doing anything about it, i guess.