How to read cholesterol levels in canada?

Cholesterol is one of the most vital components of our bodies. It helps build cells, produce hormones, and aid digestion. However, elevated levels of cholesterol can significantly increase the risk of heart disease and stroke.

In Canada, knowing how to read your cholesterol levels is crucial for maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Here’s a complete guide on everything you need to know about reading your cholesterol levels.

Understanding Your Cholesterol

Before diving into reading your cholesterol levels, it’s essential to understand what cholesterol is and its different types.

What Is Cholesterol?

Cholesterol is a waxy substance found in our blood that comes from two sources: food we eat and liver production.

Different Types Of Cholesterol

There are two main types:
– Low-density lipoprotein (LDL), aka “bad” cholesterol.
– High-density lipoprotein (HDL), otherwise known as “good” cholesterol.

What Are The Ideal Cholesterol Levels For Canadians?

Everyone’s ideal numbers will differ depending on their medical history, age group, gender, health status etc., but here’s what Canadian guidelines recommend:

Total Cholestrol LDL HDL
Males under 50 <5 <3.4 >1
Males above 50 <6 < 3.8 >1
Females under 50 <5 <3.4 >1
\Females above 50 <6 <4 >1

Ideal values may vary based on medical conditions such as diabetes

Where medical history e.g having had a previous heart attack or stroke, gender ,as being male/female may affect levels

How To Read Cholesterol Levels In Canada?

There are four cholesterol readings you need to understand:
1. Total Blood Cholesterol
2. LDL (low-density lipoprotein) Cholesterol
3. HDL (high-density lipoprotein) Cholesterol
4. Triglycerides

Each plays a vital role in determining your overall health status.

1 – Total Blood Cholesterol

This measures the total amount of cholesterol in your blood, including both good and bad types.

The ideal range is <5 mmol/L for adults under 50 years old, and <6mmol/L for those over 50. Anything higher than that could indicate an increased risk of heart disease or stroke.

Pro Tip:

LDL carries most of the harmful effects on our body’s system by depositing plaque along artery walls leading to artery narrowing which can lead to stroke or heart attack.To combat high LDL we must focus on decreasing LDL while increasing HDL which helps remove excess cholesterol from our bloodstream.The ratio between these “good” and “bad” cholesterols plays a crucial role in maintaining cardiovascular health!

2 – LDL (Low-Density Lipoprotein) Cholesterol.

Also referred to as “the bad” form; this type increases your chances of developing heart diseases or suffering from strokes due to its tendency toward clogging arteries up.It should be kept below recommended values mentioned above based on medical history age etc since elevated levels increase the risk

3 – HDL (High-Density Lipoprotein)

On the other hand, is known as “good” cholesterol simply because it works against clogging arteries associated with elevating intravascular pressure,it clears out waste products deposited via normal physiological processes like digestion & cell production thereby preventing coronary artery disorders such as angina pectoris/coronary thrombosis/ischemic heart disease due to disruption of blood flow within the heart. An ideal reading is anything > 1.

Pro Tip:

Since it’s vital to have more HDL than LDL, ensure your diet includes foods like oats that promote HDL formation while monitoring food that may increase levels such as animal-based saturated fats.

4 – Triglycerides

Triglycerides are a type of fat in our bloodstream and in the foods we eat. High level increases risk for various health challenges such as diabetes & pancreatic diseases so ensuring its kept below normal range (under advised limit) reduces this risks

What Causes High Cholesterol Levels?

To maintain healthy cholesterol readings here are some recommended lifestyle changes:
– Avoid processed sugars
– Incorporate fibre(whole grains,vegetables) into daily meals
– Exercise regularly(moderate at least 30 minutes per day)
– Include unsaturated fats(/
Nuts/seeds/oily fish/olive oil)in diets
These steps will help users maintain an optimal weight and reduce low-density lipoproteins,
while increasing high-density ones.

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