[azhangie]

I recently got my yearly pyhsical (more like once every 5 yrs) and I got my blood work and urine test results back. Apparently, I have high cholesterol...high HDL and low LDL but nonetheless high cholesterol. Now wth?!!? I work out 5-6 days a week with an hour and half on cardio and 20 mins of weights, I eat healthy and I rarely ever eat fried food, red meat, or high fat foods. And I it says my coronary heart risk ratio is 1.92L, which I am assuming is low...but still abnormal? I'm soo confused...I know that part of it is due to genetics - both my parents have high cholesterol. But knowing that I probably have a genetic deposition to high cholesterol, I eat healthy and exercise religiously.
The paperwork recommends that I eat less fried food/red meat/sugar/high fat. Ok...I avoid all that for the most part. It also says that I need more rest and drink less coffee (hahaaha damn its psyhic!!).

Ugh..I guess I'm just a little bit irritated and confused right now. I'm not quite sure what I should be doing any different. The rest and coffee I can do...but I cant stop eating things I never ate to begin with. I dont know what to do...I'm only 24 and I cant believe I already have high cholesterol. Any suggestions?

[wantmore]

Did your doctor tell you anything about your levels? He should've explained the numbers to you. You have good numbers. Not all cholesterol is bad....HDL (high density lipoproteins) is GOOD cholesterol so you would want the level on this to be high. LDL (low density lipoproteins) is the BAD cholesterol and you would want this level to be low. Hence, your low coronary risk ratio. If it were the other way around, then I'd say you're in "bad shape" at 24, but that's not the case.

[Pursegrrl]

I'm sure genetics have a huge part in this.

As wantmore posted, did you get a breakdown of what each number was? My 'good cholestrol' number is really high so it makes my overall number (204) look a teeny bit high but given high 'good' cholesterol that bumps it up.

[nviedprincess]

um your profile is good. I have high good cholesterol and low bad as well.

[azhangie]

I think my total cholesterol was 205...and most of it was HDL. My doctor didnt really sit down with me or anything, I just got a letter in the mail with my results and like a paper that tells me everything is normal except for this this and that. And one of the nurses wrote and highlighted, "high HDL = good, but high cholesterol = no good". Hahhaa..Umm...I didnt have any words for that. I assumed this wasn't a good thing. Maybe I'm wrong.

[hmwe46]

Right, your Ratio is what is really key

Also high Cholesteoal is hereditary and not just environmental.

[Pursegrrl]

Originally Posted by azhangie

I think my total cholesterol was 205...and most of it was HDL. My doctor didnt really sit down with me or anything, I just got a letter in the mail with my results and like a paper that tells me everything is normal except for this this and that. And one of the nurses wrote and highlighted, "high HDL = good, but high cholesterol = no good". Hahhaa..Umm...I didnt have any words for that. I assumed this wasn't a good thing. Maybe I'm wrong.

I'd call your doctor and ask for more detail beyond those brief notes about your numbers. It would be easy to misinterpret what was jotted down as not being good when actually it's really good your good cholesterol is really, really good!

[acshih]

Genetic can be the cause, and so can stress. I also read somewhere that if you had eaten seafood, or any food with high cholesterol within days of your blood test, it can skew the results.

[cola262]

Genetic cholesterol problems refer to high LDL. You don't seem to have anything like that.

The higher the HDL, the lower the risk of coronary heart disease. Studies have shown that people who have abnormally high HDL levels due to genetic mutation are more likely to live past 100. So congrats!

[VPT]

I was 17 when I had high cholesterol. I got really worried because it was the cause of health complications and death in several members of my family. I've altered my diet since and took tests again at age 25, and 30. Both times showed normal rates on the lower end of the scale. Changed diet as in consumed more greens drank more water and less food that are high in cholesterol. I think it doesn't matter if you're overweight, normal or underweight, it is about what you eat.

[i_wona]

Originally Posted by wantmore

Did your doctor tell you anything about your levels? He should've explained the numbers to you. You have good numbers. Not all cholesterol is bad....HDL (high density lipoproteins) is GOOD cholesterol so you would want the level on this to be high. LDL (low density lipoproteins) is the BAD cholesterol and you would want this level to be low. Hence, your low coronary risk ratio. If it were the other way around, then I'd say you're in "bad shape" at 24, but that's not the case.

could not have said it better

I think they usually add the two levels together and you should be looking at that overall number in the scheme of cholesterol... If I remember correctly, 2.5 - 4 is normal and healthy...