Ronald
Grisanti D.C., D.A.B.C.O., D.A.C.B.N., M.S.
The published
evidence is quite clear in documenting that the actual total
cholesterol level itself is not the most important risk factor of
cardiovascular disease.
It is the ratio between the level of
HDL-"good" cholesterol and total cholesterol that we need
to be concerned about.
Therefore, in adults, the HDL-"good"
cholesterol/total cholesterol ratio should be higher than 0.24 (just
divide your HDL level by your cholesterol).
Or more precisely,
the HDL/total cholesterol ratio:
• 0.24 or higher is
considered ideal
• under 0.24 - low
• less than 0.10 - very
dangerous.
Generally speaking, the higher the ratio, the
better (the lower your risk of a heart attack).
However, HDL
is closely related to triglycerides.
It appears common for
people with high triglycerides to have low HDL's, and these same
people also tend to have high levels of clotting factors in their
blood stream, which is unhealthy in protecting against heart
disease.
Therefore, in adults, the triglyceride/HDL-"good"
cholesterol ratio should be below 2 (just divide your triglycerides
level by your HDL).
Or more precisely, the triglyceride/HDL
ratio:
• 2 or less is considered ideal
• 4 - high
•
6 - much too high
And, since HDL (high density lipoprotein) is
protective against heart disease, the lower the ratio, the better.
In other words, the lower your triglycerides, or the higher
your HDL, the smaller this ratio becomes.
It is now believed
that the triglycerides/HDL ratio is one of the most potent predictors
of heart disease.
A Harvard-lead study author
reported:
"High triglycerides alone increased the risk of
heart attack nearly three-fold.
And people with the highest
ratio of triglycerides to HDL -- the "good" cholesterol --
had 16 times the risk of heart attack as those with the lowest ratio
of triglycerides to HDL in the study of 340 heart attack patients and
340 of their healthy, same age counterparts.
The ratio of
triglycerides to HDL was the strongest predictor of a heart attack,
even more accurate than the LDL/HDL ratio (Circulation
1997;96:2520-2525)."
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This article is provided by Gitto Advanced Chiropractic & Functional Nutrition Chiropractor in Northfield NJ