High Cholesterol PDF Print E-mail

label readingIf you have high cholesterol it is likely that it is in your family history. Before an assessment, if possible, take time to contact primary relatives and ask them about their blood pressure, blood sugar and cholesterol. Determine if they had risk factors such as a large waist measure, were stressed, were inactive, were smokers or other lifestyle issues such as excessive alcohol consumption.

You can ask your MD to check your cholesterol and they will order a lipid profile for you through a lab. The Heart and Stroke Foundation has worked with medical teams to set the maximum cholesterol ranges for health in the table below . Your physician or nurse practitioner will help you determine your risk for cardiovascular disease with your family history, blood levels of cholesterol, your history of diabetes if any, blood pressure, body weight and lifestyle factors. The dietitians at nutritionassessment.com can help with the lifestyle factors that will help lower your cholesterol and blood pressure.

Cholesterol TestHigh Risk mmol/lModerate Risk mmol/lLow Risk mmol/l
LDL< 2< 3.5< 5
HDL> 1> 1> 1
Triglycerides< 2< 2< 2
Ratio Total/HDL< 4< 5< 6

The dietitians at nutritionassessment.com know what foods will impove the specific cholesterol targets. They use a step-wise approach to treatment over a 3 month period and then have your lipid profile re-taken to see the results of the diet changes. Its important to review this with a dietitian regularly to have access to new strategies and foods to reduce your LDL or improve your HDL.

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