Do you know how much cholesterol is too much? This is a question many doctors attempt to explain to their patients, especially those patients who have never had problems with cholesterol in the past. Every year when you see you doctor and get a lipid profile your blood is usually tested for its cholesterol content. Doctors tend to want to see all types of cholesterol combined to be less that 200. Breaking it down into it’s parts however you really want your LDL cholesterol count to be less than 100 and your HDL cholesterol count to be greater than 50. This helps your body remove plaque from arteries faster than they are deposited.

But is a total cholesterol count of 200 really that great? Many doctors settle on this figure because it strikes a balance between what many people are capable of doing and what they should be doing. In actuality it doesn’t usually take much more effort to lower total cholesterol to 180 but many doctors don’t look for this level because most people are unwilling to do the work necessary to lower cholesterol levels that far.

The irony however is that lowering total cholesterol to 180 and lower really depends almost entirely on increasing HDL cholesterol levels because this type of cholesterol is responsible for ushering out of the blood stream the excess LDL cholesterol, which is often responsible for the accumulation of plaque buildup.

A few notable medical researchers have found that when total cholesterol gets loser to 150 the likelihood of experiencing a heart attack or stroke falls almost to zero. In people who test for cholesterol levels in this zone they virtually never have any form of arterial disease. Why shouldn’t this be the goal?

How do we lower our cholesterol to this level? It’s as easy as increasing levels of HDL cholesterol which is abundant in fatty fishes and various plant sources. Purslane and flaxseed have some of these fatty acids but most abundantly they are found in seafood. You should also drink a glass of wine every day as this has been should to help maintain high levels of HDL cholesterol and make sure to exercise every day. Exercise is the number one way to raise your HDL cholesterol levels.

A cholesterol count of 200 or more is typically considered too much but it is arguable that cholesterol between 180 and 200 is not ideal. Until you can minimize the risks of arterial disease to the least amount of risk possible you can argue that your cholesterol levels are too high. Lowering them as far as you can go is in your best interest and should be made more of a priority in this age where heart disease touches the lives of so many.