# Good cholesterol



## geraldandannie (Jun 4, 2006)

When we moved, and registered at a new doctor, we had to go through an MOT (especially for me, as I'm on blood pressure tablets). I had some blood tests done, and everything came out pretty fine. The only question mark was the "good cholesterol" figure. When I asked the nurse practicioner, she said that it was good cholesterol, because it was good if you had some. But not too much.

So, my question to the team is: what the devil is good cholesterol, what does it do, where does it come from? I (think I) know bad cholesterol (fatty foods, fatty blood, clogging up arteries and so forth).

And please, in words of one syllable or less :? 

Gerald


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## locovan (Oct 17, 2007)

http://www.all-about-lowering-cholesterol.com/cholesterol-level-scale.html
Yes you do have good and bad and it is when people have more bad than good that the problems begin

Cholesterol is a type of fat (lipid) that your body needs for example your body needs cholesterol to make sex hormones (not bad to have after all).

I like that bit  
Mavis


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## GOVER (May 1, 2005)

We measure "cholesterol" as part of an overall risk assessment for the risk of you developing heart disease ( angina or heart attack) or having a stroke.

Cholesterol is measured in two of its major components:

LDL - low density lipoproteins - known as "bad" cholesterol as this is what furs up the blood vessels.

and

HDL - high density lipoproteins - known as "good" cholesterol as this as if by magic seems to clean up the lining of the blood vessels.

It is important to know about the "balance" of the bad guys/good guys. So we add up both which is known as Total Cholesterol.

We then divide this figure of the Total Cholesterol by the amount of "good" HDL cholesterol to get a ratio figure. The lower this ratio the better. If the ratio is more than 5 then this may be regarded as too high and puts you at a higher risk of the medical events listed above.

To give an example:

If your Total cholesterol is 6.0 but your good cholesterol is 1.5 then your ratio is 4.0 - which is OK. 

If however you have a low level of HDL say 0.5 then your ratio is 12 - not good news.

So the higher the good HDL cholesterol the better and the lower the bad cholesterol the better.

HDL cholesterol can be increased by regular exercise, reducing alcohol intake if excessive and by some medications. It may be increased by eating oily fish 2-3 x per week. Otherwise you are very much stuck with what you have inherited! It varies between sexes, age and race.

LDL cholesterol can be reduced by excluding as many saturated fats from your diet. Losing weight, exercise etc.

Just to make it more interesting there is another "fat" measured in the blood called Triglycerides. This is often measured at the same time as the cholesterol level. If this is elevated it increases your risks considerably.

Needless to say these measurements ideally should be when you have not eaten for the previous 6-8 hours. Imagine how high it may be after a fish supper!

All of this is just one component of the overall risk assessment, the other factors taken into account are usually - blood pressure reading (both figures), smoking habits, family history of heart disease below the age of 65 and whether you have diabetes. This is usually the minimum information to use medical risk calculators to give a percentage risk of having a stroke or heart attack in the next 10 years of your life. If the risk is 20% or more then current guidelines recommend appropriate life style changes with if necessary medical treatment to reduce this risk.

I hope this helps, but PM me if you want to share any thoughts or worries.

Gover


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## geraldandannie (Jun 4, 2006)

Hi

Thanks so much for the replies. I know she plugged all the numbers into a template, and it came back with a current risk of heart attack of 1%, and 4% within the next 10 years. Considering I'm overweight (but losing it slowly), I thought that was pretty good.

Gerald


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## Telbell (May 1, 2005)

> it came back with a current risk of heart attack of 1%, and 4% within the next 10 years. Considering I'm overweight (but losing it slowly), I thought that was pretty good.


I hesitated before writing this Gerald but decided to go ahead.......

I asked my uncle once, (then a GP-now retired) what I could do to mitigate the chance of a heart attack/stroke etc. (Our family is riddled with history of heart disease through the male ancestry so I have some interest in this. :roll:

Anyway- he went through the obvious: weight, diet, lifestyle, exercise etc etc.

Then he told me that a guy went to see him for a "full" medical for Life Insurance purposes. He did a thorough check: static ECG, exercise ECG, cholestrol check, blood tests, weight, body fat etc. Came out with flying colours.

You can guess the rest: he collapsed & died of heart attack three weeks later.

Questions were asked of my uncle by the Insurance Company. Uncle wrote back and said "I'm a GP- not God and not a Fortune Teller"

So- when you're called to meet your Maker that's it!- and we never know for sure when that'll be :lol:


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## geraldandannie (Jun 4, 2006)

Telbell said:


> I hesitated before writing this Gerald but decided to go ahead.......


He who hesitates, Tel ... :wink:

You're so right. We can do our best to reduce the risks, but we never really know. That's why we took early retirement. Too many of our friends and family are leaving us, or becoming ill.

Gerald


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## Telbell (May 1, 2005)

> That's why we took early retirement. Too many of our friends and family are leaving us, or becoming ill.


Same here Gerald- enjoy the Motorhoming :lol: :lol:


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## locovan (Oct 17, 2007)

Telbell said:


> > That's why we took early retirement. Too many of our friends and family are leaving us, or becoming ill.
> 
> 
> Same here Gerald- enjoy the Motorhoming :lol: :lol:


Same here too and it was only because we sold up and moved to our Park Home, that we signed up with a new Doctor and found out Rays Blood preasure was 210/120 and the Doctor said he was in line for a stroke any minute and that he was Diabetic with High Cholestral of 7.2.
He was 63 which if we look at it we have lost a lot of men friends at that age.Just before retirement or just after.
We upgraded the Motorhome from a VW and took early Retirement.
Im not being doom and gloom im just saying we have to enjoy every minute of our lives. You never know whats round the corner.
Ray is now 71 going strong and we make sure we are active and out there in the Motorhome as much as we can because we get so much pleasure visiting so many great Places.
Mavis


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## Telbell (May 1, 2005)

> Ray is now 71 going strong and we make sure we are active and out there in the Motorhome as much as we can because we get so much pleasure visiting so many great Places.


Good for you Mavis :lol: :lol:


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## geraldandannie (Jun 4, 2006)

locovan said:


> found out Rays Blood preasure was 210/120 and the Doctor said he was in line for a stroke any minute and that he was Diabetic with High Cholestral of 7.2.


Blimey, Mavis - that must have been a shock. Glad Ray's still around 8O

Gerald


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## 101405 (Oct 15, 2006)

Its youself that gives you all these problems your life stlye has produced most of the problems here, very lucky man to be still here with 210/120
Ideal cholestrol I think would be 4.5. as the body (liver) produces this i think to supress it any lower is not good , A good diet , fruit ,olive oil. less salt (killer) fresh food , the world is overflowing with goodies for us to eat and they are cheap, and exercise most of all , If you are a healthy person you are not going to drop dead for no reason, we are built to live, not die?
(just having another orange! fingers crossed)


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## bigbazza (Mar 6, 2008)

geraldandannie said:


> When we moved, and registered at a new doctor, we had to go through an MOT (especially for me, as I'm on blood pressure tablets).
> 
> Gerald


Now listen to your own words and don't get so intense on some of these post's Gerald   

Bye the way I was diagnosed diabetic just over a year ago, I was extremely overweight, high blood pressure and not very well at all.
I took it very seriously and took the prescribed medication, changed my diet and took more exercise. I'm now 7 stones lighter, my blood pressure is almost normal and have a very much more enjoyable life.

I,m not boasting or anything just saying that if you listen and heed, things can change for the better.


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## Spacerunner (Mar 18, 2006)

silversurfa said:


> Its youself that gives you all these problems your life stlye has produced most of the problems here, very lucky man to be still here with 210/120
> Ideal cholestrol I think would be 4.5. as the body (liver) produces this i think to supress it any lower is not good , A good diet , fruit ,olive oil. less salt (killer) fresh food , the world is overflowing with goodies for us to eat and they are cheap, and exercise most of all , If you are a healthy person you are not going to drop dead for no reason, we are built to live, not die?
> (just having another orange! fingers crossed)


*Not strictly true*

I've had a very active life. 12 years in the Royal Marines. Physical working life and running from the age of 48 to 61 up to half marathon level.
Yet, I now have hypertension and and a leaky heart valve. The latter most probably caused by running. My wife used to walk to and fro from work, 4 miles, for 16 years she has had to have both knees replaced.
Our diet is fair to good, we eat salads at least five times a week etc.
So a lot of the illnesses we seem to accumalate in later life are most probably genetic or caused just by living our lives.
We can only to a limited extent help ourselves, and then just as likely to have the opposite effect.
The most important thing is not to become obsessed with health problems and get on with your life.


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## locovan (Oct 17, 2007)

silversurfa said:


> Its youself that gives you all these problems your life stlye has produced most of the problems here, *very lucky man to be still here with 210/120* Ideal cholestrol I think would be 4.5. as the body (liver) produces this i think to supress it any lower is not good , A good diet , fruit ,olive oil. less salt (killer) fresh food , the world is overflowing with goodies for us to eat and they are cheap, and exercise most of all , If you are a healthy person you are not going to drop dead for no reason, we are built to live, not die?
> (just having another orange! fingers crossed)


The Doctor said Ray would be lucky to get out of the Surgery to go home go to bed and stay there until we could get his tablets.
Yes it was a big shock and yet Ray was only 10 stone very fit but we had been though selling the House and moving here and stress at work.
When I look back he was getting ratty very quickly over simple things, always going to the loo and getting up in the night to do so and when we went long walks he had to have a mars bar as he came over shaky (now know that was down to sugar levels).
He kept saying he could hear the blood pounding in his ears when he laid down so there were lots of signs if we had only realised but we were so busy sorting out or life at that time.
You advice on the diet is right and very healthy.
To have as much fresh cooked meals as possible so that you know whats in your food.
Mavis


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## zulurita (May 9, 2005)

"Just to make it more interesting there is another "fat" measured in the blood called Triglycerides. This is often measured at the same time as the cholesterol level. If this is elevated it increases your risks considerably."


Yep my Triglycerides are raised as well as the cholesterol so no hope for me then :wink: 

Still losing 1/2 a stone in a month must help I guess.


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