Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Okay, you've just found out you have high cholesterol. Now what? Well, you need to know the breakdown of your "lipid panel" in order to decide what changes will be most effective.
The lipid panel includes:
Total Cholesterol
HDL (good) cholesterol
LDL (bad) cholesterol
Triglycerides (or VLDL cholesterol)
Here's the first step to take depending on which number is elevated:
If LDL cholesterol is elevated, reduce saturated and trans fat intake.
If triglycerides are elevated, cut back on sugar and alcohol in your diet.
If HDL cholesterol is low, increase your physical activity.
