ARE THE LEVELS GOOD?!!?!?

Okay so a couple of weeks ago my J-O-B had a health fair. Reps from our insurance company were checking people's blood pressure,total cholesterol levels, body fat percentage's, and blood glucose levels.

For now let's focus on our dear friend Mr. Cholesterol.

According to the American Heart Association, it is recommended that your total cholesterol levels are less than 200mg/dl (which reads 200 milligrams per deciliter of blood). You are borderline to high risk if your total cholesterol reads 200-239 mg/dl and you are in the very naughty catergory of high risk with any reading above 240 mg/dl. I came in at 112 mg/dl don't hate...I eat healthy.

When blood cholesterol increases, so does the possibility of plugging the arteries due to cholesterol plaque build-up. This leads to a "hardening of the arteries" or atherosclerosis. When the arteries become plugged, a heart attack may occur. Blood carries oxygen to the heart, and if enough blood and oxygen cannot reach your heart you may suffer chest pain. In severe cases if the blood supply to a portion of the heart is completely cut off by a blockage, the result is a heart attack.

Here are some factors that can cause your cholesterol to change:

High fat/high cholesterol diets - excess fat ie. saturated fat may cause an increase in blood cholesterol. Eating foods low in saturated fats and cholesterol , fat free or 1% dairy products lean meats, whole grains, and veggies.

Excess weight gain - Excess weight gain tends to lower HDL (good cholesterol) and raise LDL (bad cholesterol)

Smoking & Alcohol - Smoking lowers HDL and alcohol slightly raise it. So be careful

Aerobic excerise - Regular exercise mat increase HDL levels but not by that much and it may lower your LDL too.

Etc. -Severe trauma, acute bacterial or viral infection, major illness or pregrancy.

Info provided by heartscreen.com

Click here for more info on cholesterol levels

Be mindful of all those extras peeps...they add up!!