Cholesterol ratio importance

[michiganmom116]

Bellatrix Nutrition

‎"The most important number on a conventional lipid panel is the relationship between triglycerides and HDL. (Divide triglyercides by HDL to get it.) If that number is less than 2, this suggests you have mostly large, buoyant LDL – which is not a risk factor for heart disease. If that number is higher than 3, it suggests you have mostly small, dense LDL – which most certainly is a risk factor for heart disease."

http://chriskresser.com/5-reasons-not-to-worry-about-your-cholesterol-numbers

[michiganmom116]

Rota, you know a lot about this, right?  How accurate is this info?

[mandee1503]

If its true, interesting.

[Rota]

If you are just looking at cholesterol then look at the entire picture.

Two Ratios that are Potent Indicators of Heart Disease

Additionally, the following two ratios are far better indicators of heart disease risk than total cholesterol alone:

• Your HDL/Cholesterol ratio-- HDL percentage is a very potent heart disease risk factor. Just divide your HDL level by your cholesterol. This percentage should ideally be above 24 percent. Below 10 percent, it's a significant indicator of risk for heart disease.  
• Your Triglyceride/HDL ratios—Divide your triglycerides by your HDL level. This percentage should ideally be below 2.

One easy and very accurate number to look at is waist size. Women who have a waist larger than 31.5 are considered overweight. Waist greater than 34.6 is obese. The reason why this is a better indicator of heart disease risk is because your waist size is related to the type of fat that is stored around your waistline, called visceral fat or belly fat. This type of fat is strongly linked to type 2 diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and other chronic diseases. It is thought that visceral fat is related to the release of proteins and hormones that cause inflammation, which can in turn damage your arteries and affect how you metabolize sugars and fats. An expanded waistline is associated with insulin resistance, high blood pressure, lipid imbalance, cardiovascular disease, thickening of the walls of your heart, and even increased risk for developing Alzheimer's disease decades later. 

Long story short- it's everything. You cannot just look at cholesterol or triglyceride/ HDL ratios. You must look at life style, diet, exercise, stress, sleep - everything. We are an "entire" human being. We are not a sum of our parts. Everything works together and when something fails, unless the body can correct it, ( Which no drug can accomplish), then things start to snowball. Like I tell all my clients, we must fix the problem- not the symptoms.

[michiganmom116]

Quoting Rota:

If you are just looking at cholesterol then look at the entire picture.

Two Ratios that are Potent Indicators of Heart Disease

Additionally, the following two ratios are far better indicators of heart disease risk than total cholesterol alone:

• Your HDL/Cholesterol ratio-- HDL percentage is a very potent heart disease risk factor. Just divide your HDL level by your cholesterol. This percentage should ideally be above 24 percent. Below 10 percent, it's a significant indicator of risk for heart disease.  
• Your Triglyceride/HDL ratios—Divide your triglycerides by your HDL level. This percentage should ideally be below 2.

One easy and very accurate number to look at is waist size. Women who have a waist larger than 31.5 are considered overweight. Waist greater than 34.6 is obese. The reason why this is a better indicator of heart disease risk is because your waist size is related to the type of fat that is stored around your waistline, called visceral fat or belly fat. This type of fat is strongly linked to type 2 diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and other chronic diseases. It is thought that visceral fat is related to the release of proteins and hormones that cause inflammation, which can in turn damage your arteries and affect how you metabolize sugars and fats. An expanded waistline is associated with insulin resistance, high blood pressure, lipid imbalance, cardiovascular disease, thickening of the walls of your heart, and even increased risk for developing Alzheimer's disease decades later. 

Long story short- it's everything. You cannot just look at cholesterol or triglyceride/ HDL ratios. You must look at life style, diet, exercise, stress, sleep - everything. We are an "entire" human being. We are not a sum of our parts. Everything works together and when something fails, unless the body can correct it, ( Which no drug can accomplish), then things start to snowball. Like I tell all my clients, we must fix the problem- not the symptoms.

Does the waist measurement take into account the woman's build?  My mom is petite and carries all of her weight around her waist, yet her waist measurement is less than mine.  My waist is 32 inches, yet I have muscular abs.   I'm just wondering if that measurement is the same for all women.

I really appreciate you sharing this info!