When you think of cholesterol, your only thought is that it should be lower, however HDL levels are not the same. The higher the better is the necessary information when it comes to HDL cholesterol levels. HDL is not the same as cholesterol. In fact your HDL levels are high density lipoproteins. Our bodies can never seem to have quite enough of them. Their role in our body is to carry cholesterol away from body tissues after LDL has carried it to them. Because LDL vastly outnumbers HDL by about 3 to 1, we're much better off if we can raise our HDL cholesterol levels.

There are several different ways that you will want to achieve this. On the list are the excessive smoking, alcohol, body weight, exercise and medications. Let's look at the actual numbers on this. You have to remember that the smallest changes in HDL levels are significant. It would be going to far to say it is exponential, but a 1 mg/dL increase in your HDL cholesterol levels means as much as a 2 to 4 percent reduction in risk of heart disease and cardiac problems in general.

Breaking Down The Numbers on HDL Cholesterol Levels

When we start thinking about HDL levels you need to remember that the numbers are different for men and women. In general, the average figure for HDL is approximately 40 mg/dL for what someone wants in HDL cholesterol levels. That is certainly the range that you have to think in terms of.

At this point we should go from risky HDL to average HDL to ideal HDL levels. The too-low danger flag about this goes out at 37 mg/dL for men and at 47 mg/dL for women. The normal range for men to have is about 40 to 50 mg/dL, and for women 50 to 60 mg/dL. The general target range for HDL cholesterol levels, but you have to remember that nothing is set in stone in this area, but it is about 60 mg/dL. A reasonable goal we can all set is and should be to increase HDL cholesterol levels by 10 mg/dL from whatever it is now.

As you can see there is a vast difference from your cholesterol levels and your HDL levels. It is wise for you not to confuse the two of them. Common sense would be for you understand that HDL levels work in the exact opposite manner that cholesterol does, however your HDL levels is akin to monitoring your cholesterol in that they both play a huge role in your overall health. It amazes me how much people get so involved in their cholesterol levels that they forget about everything else. You can keep your HDL levels in regulation height by simply eating a balanced and nutritious combination of whole foods.