It's All In the NumbersAre you trying to figure out what all of those numbers and acronyms on your cholesterol test mean? You're not alone. The American Heart Association can help you sort it out with these recommendations for the average person's cholesterol levels. Check with your doctor to determine your target ranges.
Total Cholesterol : less than 200HDL
Cholesterol (good cholesterol...think "H" for happy) : more than 60
LDL Cholesterol (bad cholesterol...think "L" for lousy) : less than 100
Triglycerides (most common type of fat in the body) : less than 150
Once you know whether or not you need to improve your levels, check out the following books and websites to get started on heart healthy cooking and lifestyle changes. Collectively, these resources offer advice on changing your cholesterol for the better.
Books & Reading
The library has a wide range of cookbooks that feature low cholesterol recipes. Also find a variety of titles if you prefer vegetarian and/or vegan recipes. For general readers (and diners!), we'll mention a few titles that may be of interest.
Olive Oil Baking: Heart-Healthy Recipes that Increase Good Cholesterol...
American Heart Association Cookbook
Beyond Cholesterol
Cholesterol Cures
Love in the Time of Cholesterol : a Memoir with Recipes
Engine 2 Diet
Surf's Up
American Heart Association
National Institutes of Health
or get involved on Go Red for Women
