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Good cholesterol levels can prevent heart attacks and more

Cardiovascular diseases contribute to the highest number of deaths worldwide. The major reason behind cardiovascular disease is high blood cholesterol levels. If bad cholesterol levels promote heart diseases then good C levels prevent the risk of an impending heart attack or stroke or coronary heart disease. How can cholesterol increase the risk of heart diseases? The secret to a robust heart is keeping your C levels well maintained. Monitoring your blood cholesterol from the young age of 20 is very essential. Most people speak of lowering their c levels but rarely do you hear people speak of increasing their c levels. This is because most people think lowering c levels reduces the risk of coronary diseases. Ch is sub divided into two categories – the good and the bad. The good ch or HDL (high-density lipoprotein) and the bad ch or LDL (low-density lipoprotein) along with another kind of lipids known as triglycerides, combines to give you your complete cholesterol readings. In addition, very low-density ch (VLDL cholesterol) needs to be controlled too. Your LDL cholesterol and triglycerides levels need to be low but your HDL or your good C levels need to be high in order to dodge heart related risks. Understanding ch might help you to be effective in balancing your C levels. Cholesterol is produced in the liver and obtained through dietary means. It helps in maintaining bodily functions such as cell membrane formation, production of vitamins, hormones and bile, etc. Excess of cholesterol can harm the body, as it tends to accumulate and form plaques around walls of the blood vessels. This blocks the blood flow and gives rise to heart and artery related ailments. How can you reduce the risk of heart disease through good cholesterol? Forming plaques and risking of your health is contributed by bad lipids like LDL and triglycerides. So what is the contribution of good cholesterol or HDL? HDL cholesterol transports 1/3 of bad cholesterol from the blood stream back to the liver, where the cholesterol gets reprocessed. It also has the capabilities of slackening the process of plaque building. Thus, ensuring safety in terms of heart related complications. HDL cholesterol molecules consist of the maximum amount of proteins and a very less amount of lipids. The desirable good cholesterol levels for men are between 40 mg/dL to 50 mg/dL and for women it is between 50 mg/dL to 60 mg/dL. Women tend to have a much higher level of HDL cholesterol than men due to the sex hormone, Estrogen do. HDL cholesterol reading above 60 mg/dL can prove to be more advantageous than a reading that is below 40 mg/dL because it exposes you to the risk of suffering from a heart attack or stroke. Ways to increase HDL levelsBoth good and bad cholesterol readings are equally important to determine the ratio of your c levels. Lowering your LDL levels and increasing your HDL levels and striking a balance between both can lead you to healthy lifestyle. If you are HDL levels are low, your doctor may prescribe medications like niacin or fib rates. There are no medications, which increase only good cholesterol levels