Why Cholesterol Testing Is Important

Above anything else, your health should always be treated with paramount importance. Without good health, your body will cease to function well, and you cannot go about with your daily tasks.

More importantly, your quality of life will decrease. One of the testing options available today that can tell a lot about your body’s health is cholesterol testing. It is a test that you shouldn’t forego having, at least annually. Why so? Continue reading below to find out more.

1. Having High Cholesterol Doesn’t Show Any Symptoms

For you to be considered healthy, there is a specific cholesterol limit that you must maintain in your body. Anything beyond that level would already be regarded as unhealthy, and can even be dangerous for your body in some extreme cases.

The concerning thing about high cholesterol is that it doesn’t even show any symptoms at all. Being young or skinny also doesn’t mean that you are exempt from having high cholesterol. To know what is going on in your body, therefore, it is crucial that you have a cholesterol check done.

2. Cholesterol Testing Can Determine Risks For Fatal Heart Disease

Much of the results that come out from cholesterol testing are related to the condition of your heart. Cholesterol testing can determine any possible risk for fatal heart disease if undetected early.

For instance, high cholesterol in the body can often mean a buildup of plaque in your arteries, which can cause blockages. This situation in your body can often lead to heart attacks or coronary artery disease.

If you had a cholesterol test done, you can determine early on any potential risk for this disease, and thereby make changes in your diet, lifestyle, and even take the proper medication to avoid any further damage to your body.

3. Cholesterol Testing Lowers Risk Factors For Obese Or Diabetic Patients

Even if you are young, particularly if you have a history of heart attacks and other coronary diseases in your family, you will be asked to undergo cholesterol testing regularly.

Even more so when you are obese or diabetic. This test is a means of determining periodically how your health is going, and if the risk factors for potentially life-threatening diseases because of your history or condition have been lowered.

If you belong to any of the following categories and are suffering from obesity, diabetes, or you have a family with a history of heart diseases, you are recommended to undergo cholesterol testing at least once a year.

4. Cholesterol Testing Can Show You the Amount of Fats (Lipids) in Your Blood

The human body is a very complex system. Your blood is composed of fats, also known as lipids, that have pre-determined values for it to still be considered within the healthy or normal range.

In addition, there are also good fats and bad fats. If you do not have a cholesterol testing done regularly, you have little to no means at all of ascertaining the lipid profile of your body, which can leave you questioning how well or how bad your body is currently doing.

Here’s a breakdown of the appropriate lipid profiles for your body:

• Total cholesterol refers to the total cholesterol count of your body, and it shouldn’t go beyond 200 mg/dL to be considered normal.
• LDL cholesterol or low-density lipoprotein cholesterol refers to the bad cholesterol in your body, as it is the plaque buildup in your arteries that result to a reduction in blood flow. It shouldn’t go beyond 100 mg/dL to be considered normal.
• HDL cholesterol or high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, which carries away LDL, refers to the good cholesterol of the body. Your body should have more than 40 mg/dL to be considered healthy.
• Triglycerides refer to a type of fat in your blood, and it shouldn’t go beyond 150 mg/dL to be considered normal.

5. Cholesterol Testing Can Help You Live Longer

When you go for regular cholesterol testing, you know what the cholesterol levels in your body are. Hence, you can determine whether or not you are still healthy.

Because of the results that you can have from cholesterol testing, you can make changes in your lifestyle that can, in turn, help you live longer. Apart from taking medications, the key to having less of the bad cholesterol and more of the good has to do with how you intend to live for your life.

For example:

• Quitting harmful vices such as smoking and drinking
• Choosing to eat healthier
• Exercising regularly

Conclusion

In your drive to stay healthy, getting your cholesterol levels checked should be one of those tests that are given priority. Remember that high cholesterol is fatal, as it increases your risk for heart disease and so much more.

When you are aware of what it is that goes on in your body, you know more about the status of your health and how to improve your lifestyle in general.

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