The average American woman , with a 55 HDL, would have a total cholesterol level of 193 to attain an ideal ratio. Diet changes do not raise HDL, but lowering your total cholesterol will improve your ratio. Since LDL is the bad cholesterol circulating in your arteries, the lower your level the better. It is recommended that your LDL be under 130. If you have had any heart problems, your LDL should be under 100.
Triglycerides are another blood fat measured by a lipid profile.
However, in conjunction with a low HDL or a high LDL, high triglycerides do indicate increased risk. There are excellent medications to reduce triglyceride levels. Almost one in three adult Americans have some form of cardiovascular disease. If you have had a bypass it is all the more imperative that you have a lowcholesterol level. Saphenous veins from your leg become your heart arteries, and they tend to clog up faster than your own original arteries.