Confused about cholesterol?

Have you been told that you have high cholesterol or that you're at risk of it? If you don't know what the numbers are all about, it can be confusing. LDL? HDL? What's what and what should each be?

First, it's important to know that we need cholesterol - it's a building block for our cells. LDL is the "bad" cholesterol, the one that can stick together and against the blood vessel walls. As this cholesterol builds up, it can cause a complete blockage in the blood vessel, which can lead to a stroke.

The other type of cholesterol, HDL, is the "good" cholesterol. Its role is to sweep the LDL along the blood vessels so it can't stick to the vessel walls.

A good way to remember which is which is HDL, the good one, is the one you want in the high numbers: HDL = High. LDL, the bad one, is the one you want to be as low as possible: LDL = Low.


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