There are many blood tests carried out by health care professionals for numerous reasons. One of these blood tests is called a lipid profile, which measures the amount of cholesterol and fats (specifically triglycerides) within a patient's blood. As many people know, high cholesterol of the bad kind can lead to clogging of the arteries and heart disease; this test can help to indicate the likelihood of that occurring, meaning you can develop healthy life changes early to prevent future health complications. This article will explain what readings are included within a lipid profile, list lipid profile normal values, as well as providing tips on what to do if you have an abnormal reading.

Lipid Profile Normal Values

A lipid profile report will include the measurements of numerous substances within the blood, including:

• Total Cholesterol – The total amount of cholesterol (both good and bad) within the blood.
• Triglycerides – A type of fat molecule found within the blood.
• High-density lipoprotein (HDL) – A type of good cholesterol which helps to strengthen and protect the heart.
• Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) – A type of bad cholesterol which plays a large contributory factor to the development of clogged arteries.
• Total cholesterol to HDL ration – This is included on some reports, and helps the doctor to determine the risk of developing a build of plaque within the arteries (atherosclerosis). The value is determined by dividing the figure of the total cholesterol by the figure of HDL.
• Very low-density lipoprotein (VLDL) – A type of bad cholesterol that is capable of building up within the arteries, the reading of which is sometimes included in lipid profile reports.

Below is a table listing the lipid profile normal values of the substances that have been talked above:

What If You Don't Have Normal Lipid Profile Values?

After looking at lipid profile normal values, if you realize yours to be abnormal, then there are numerous steps you can take to help reduce fat and cholesterol in your blood and prevent any future health complications. If this condition happens to you, you may wish to try the following:

1. Control Weight

Losing weight can help to reduce the amount of fat (triglycerides) within your blood. What's more, as losing weight often involves exercise and eating healthy, it also has numerous other benefits in terms of overall health.

2. Do Exercise

As mentioned, exercise can be extremely helpful in controlling body weight. If you have a high amount of fat in your blood, regular exercise of at least thirty minutes a day will help to reduce it.

3. Take Drugs

If your doctor assesses that you have a dangerously high level of fat in your blood, they may offer certain medication which works to reduce triglyceride levels within the blood. Medications currently available include niacin, statins, fibrates, etc. It is important to note that medication is often ineffective in helping to prevent heart disease and stroke when not also combined with a healthy diet and regular exercise.

4. Adjust Diet

Perhaps, among all the tips, adjusting your diet is one of the most crucial things you need to change immediately for the better results. Below is what you should do.

• Cut the sugar intake. Those who consume a high amount of sugar are at an increased risk of developing high triglyceride levels within their blood. This means it is best advisable to cut down on sugary products, such as soda and sweets, to ensure that the fat within your blood does not reach dangerous levels.

• Add more fiber. Fiber is a great substance that assists with digestion and overall health. You should try to avoid refined carbohydrates and increase the intake of more fiber-rich foods, such as whole grains, fruits and vegetables.

• Limit fructose. Fructose is a type of sugar commonly found in table sugar (along with sucrose). High volumes of this sugar, when consumed, can lead to increased levels of fat within your blood, and therefore, should be avoided, especially by those who already have high triglyceride levels. You should always ensure to check the ingredients list if you are unsure as to whether a certain food contains fructose.

• Watch out the fat. It is generally recommended that a diet which is moderately low in fat will be far more beneficial in terms of controlling blood fat levels than a diet which is extremely low in fat. This means that If you haven't lipid profile normal values, and found your triglyceride levels to be borderline or at risk, it is often better to not cut down on the fat that you consume too drastically, just moderately. It is important to also watch what fat you consume. Trans fats (found in foods such as margarine) and saturated fats (found in foods such as butter, poultry fat and red meat) should be avoided or reduced, instead, include in polyunsaturated fat (found in foods like corn, safflower, and soybean oils) and monounsaturated fats(found in foods such as olive oil).

• Consume omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3 is found in most fish, such as salmon sardines, heron, etc. This type of fat is really good for your health in many aspects, and can be extremely helpful in lowering levels of triglycerides.

• Avoid alcohol. Some studies have found a correlation between alcohols consumption and triglyceride levels, although other studies have failed to find the same correlation. That being said, those with high triglycerides levels should avoid the consumption of alcohol.

You can also watch the video below to get more tips on diet for lowing triglycerides: