Feb
It was supposed to be a fasting test but I am hypoglycemic and can't fast. I had to eat breakfast about 1 1/2 hours before the test. I had a ham egg and cheese breakfast hot pocket. My results are slightly elevated so I’m assuming if I had fasted it would have been normal.
Am I correct in my assumptions?
Also my HDL is low, so what can I do to raise it? I know it has been chronically low even when I was able to fast for the tests. My normal tests have always been very low but the HDL was low too which I am told isn’t good.
Results:
Cholesterol: 183 Under 199 is good.
Triglyceride: 156 Under 149 is good
HDL 36 Should be over 40
LDL/HDL ratio: 3.2 No reference range
Cholesterol, non-HDL 147 No reference range
LDL 116 No reference range
Answer:
Yes you are correct. What you ate can alter the blood tests. That fact might have skewed the results of your blood tests to some degree. A total cholesterol of under 200 mg/dl is considered normal. Doctors still like to see it lower. So yours at 183 is good. Your triglycerides are a bit high, not bad, but might have been lower if you hadn’t eaten. Your LDL is considered borderline high. Your LDL to HDL ratio is actually 4.08 to 1. ( Divide 147 by 36) Your slightly high LDL and low HDL are what results in an overall unsatisfactory report. Exercise will help lower the LDL and increase the HDL. A niacin supplement will also help raise your HDL if you can tolerate the side effects. Redden skin and sometimes a rash. It isn’t of any immediate concern because altering your diet (no more egg + cheese hot pocket = triglycerides + cholesterol!!!!!) and adding a moderate exercise program will correct that. It is nothing you need medication for if you are otherwise healthy. So you must be doing something right. Stay healthy.
Answer:
Yes you're correct. Not only that, you choose a very poor breakfast as well.
When they give you a ratio on your LDL/HDL, that's not a good thing.
HDL levels below 40 mg/dL result in an increased risk of coronary atery disease, even in people whose total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol levels are normal. HDL levels between 40 and 60 mg/dL are considered “normal.” However, HDL levels greater than 60 mg/dL might actually protect people from heart disease. Indeed, for several years, physicians have known that when it comes to HDL levels, the higher the better.
Lose weight, quit smoking, have a glass of wine a day (no more than one drink however), use monounsaturated fats (olive oil, canola oil, avocado oil, peanut butter), eat more soluble fibre (fruit, oatmeal, veggies, legumes, etc.), drink cranberry juice, eat fish or other foods containing Omega-3 fatty acids.
If you're a post-menopausal woman, take calcium supplements.
Answer:
It's true that food affect your cholesterol level. As I see from your results, the overall seem to be ok. Most important is that your LDL level is low, which means low risk to have any heart problems.
And you have a LDL/HDL ratio of 3.2, which is considered ok since it has to be 3 and above.
If you are taking any lowering cholesterol drug, that’ll affect your HDL levels, which explains its low rate.
Anyway, try to draw up your own diet in order to keep your blood sugar and lipid profile at normal ranges.
For raising HDL levels options visit http://www.cholesterol-hdl-ldl.com/incre…