It is absolutely important to understand your fatty acid (cholesterol) level and for many reasons. One of the most obvious reasons would be because having a high cholesterol level of the wrong type can make you extremely prone to such things as cardiac diseases and strokes. Although excessive obesity is one of the plainest symptoms of high cholesterol, just because you are below the correct weight for your height this does not mean that your cholesterol level is proper. Your first port of call should always be a health professional.

Sorting out Your Cholesterol Level

There are some considerations that you need to think about when you are trying to understand your cholesterol level especially when put against your body type and mass index, such as for instance the fact that there are both good and bad types of cholesterol. There is LDL cholesterol, which is considered as being the bad type of cholesterol, and then there is HDL cholesterol which is actually considered as being desirable to the body and it's systems. The test itself is very simple and the results can be presented to you within a matter of minutes for an overall cholesterol level although for a full breakdown of each type a laboratory test will usually be required.

You can be put into either one of three categories: satisfactory, low danger level, or higher danger level. If your total cholesterol is less than 205mg/dL, then you are considered as being in the satisfactory category, and your risk of heart attack is low, but there may be other factors that raise that risk, such as smoking, drinking or other lifestyle choices.

If your cholesterol is in between 206 and 245mg/dL, then you are considered as being in the low danger level category, and about 33% of all people fall into this category. If it turns out that you are in this category, you should see a doctor or nurse to have your cholesterol levels checked annually, or more often if your HDL is less than 41mg/dL and you consider that other factors may increase the risk factors of cardiac problems.

Finally, if your levels sit at 245mg/dL plus, then you are likely to be in the high risk category and your risk of cardiac attacks and strokes are incredibly raised. As well, you have a far more than average risk of other heart problems, and so you must take immediate steps towards reducing those risks and decreasing the likelihood of future heart and blood problems.

The underlying message to remember here is that the lower your LDL (the bad one) cholesterol, the lower your overall cholesterol level will be and it is the easiest one to control. You should take all of the precautions that you can to lower your LDL cholesterol to the safer end of the scale. If necessary there are medications that can be taken to help, but in the end dietary and lifestyle changes will almost certainly be recommended by your health practitioner or adviser.