As women age one thing that is bound to happen to them is that they are apt to experience higher cholesterol in their blood. There are two types of cholesterol found in the blood. The LDL cholesterol is the “bad” kind that is said to be responsible for heart disease, stroke and other complications. The “good” cholesterol which is called HDL cholesterol works by cleaning the blood vessels kind of like a mini scrub brush that resides within your veins. It is important to look at a cholesterol levels for women chart to find out what your levels are. A blood test that is performed by your doctor will tell you just how much LDL and HDL cholesterol you have in your blood.
Typically, cholesterol levels for women over 40 will be a bit higher than cholesterol levels for women under 30. This is probably because years of eating the wrong foods and not taking care of their bodies correctly. A lack of exercise and eating the wrong foods will result in high cholesterol levels over time. Fortunately, there are a lot of things a person experiencing a heightened level of cholesterol can do. There are dozens of special diets on the market that have been designed specifically to help women lower the level of LDL cholesterol in their blood and even increase the level of HDL cholesterol.
Keep in mind also that cholesterol levels can fluctuate greatly depending on the types of foods you have been eating. For instance, you can go to the doctor for a cholesterol test just after eating a huge plate of greasy bacon and eggs and show a higher level than you might have if you had eaten a fruit salad before going in. The problem isn’t having intermittent high LDL cholesterol; the problem arises when the levels stay high all the time.
If you change your habits and your lifestyle a little bit you can significantly lower your LDL cholesterol and bring your HDL levels up. HDL cholesterol is helpful cholesterol. Its function is to keep the inside of the arteries and veins scoured and clean. In order to know what is happening with your body it is a good idea to have regular check ups and cholesterol detection blood tests. This will help you to be aware of how much bad cholesterol you have in your blood. Because the levels can change you should have the test done a few times a year to get an accurate level.