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The reason for the above is because there are actually two different types of LDL – Pattern A and Pattern B.
Pattern A LDL is generally considered harmless because it doesn’t cause plaque buildup on the walls of our arteries (which leads to blockages and heart attacks). Pattern B, however, is the real bad guy (also known as VLDL, or Very Low Density Lipoprotein). Pattern B LDL is made up of smaller molecules that get into even our smallest blood vessels and cause inflammation, which in turn stimulates plaque formation.
Unfortunately, a typical lipid profile (which measures total cholesterol, HDL, LDL, and triglycerides) lumps the two types of LDL into one measurement. While there is a specialized blood panel you can have performed to test for the specifics of your LDL, this is rarely ordered by most doctors.
The goods news – and the reason for this update – is that you can roughly determine your general level of Pattern A vs. Pattern B LDL by simply looking at your ratio of triglycerides to HDL (“good cholesterol”).
If your HDL is high (60 mg/dL or at least 25% of your total cholesterol) and your triglycerides are low (under 150 mg/dL, but also no more than double your HDL), then your LDL is predominantly made up of the relatively harmless Pattern A variety.
If the opposite is true – your HDL is low while your triglycerides are high – then your LDL levels are predominantly made up of the unhealthy Pattern B (VLDL) variety.
If you find your HDL, LDL and triglyceride levels are out of whack, it’s a fairly simple thing to bring them back to healthy levels…
The above steps are easy to implement and will reward you with health-changing benefits almost immediately. They are also positively huge indicators of the one thing I preach over and over again – fat is not bad for you!
Even the dreaded we’re all told to avoid actually have legitimate health benefits. Butter, eggs and virgin coconut oil are some of the healthiest fats you can eat (and cook with) on a regular basis. They do not cause heart disease and, in fact, only increase your levels of harmless Pattern A LDL.
This is particularly interesting since we’re always told to avoid saturated fats because they increase your LDL. The half-truth part is that we’re never told which LDL they were referring to. Tricky, tricky!
On the opposite end of the spectrum, unhealthy carbohydrates (which include sugar, grains and alcohol) will actually raise your levels of unhealthy Pattern B LDL and triglycerides!
Remember this well and change your diets accordingly – today!
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