If you have low HDL and high triglycerides, your doctor has likely advised you to modify your diet in order to raise HDL and lower your triglycerides level. There are several ways you can achieve these goals, both of which will help to prevent heart disease and atherosclerosis, or hardening of the arteries.

The National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute created the National Cholesterol Education Program in November 1985 to inform the American public about the dangers of high blood cholesterol and how to lower cholesterol through lifestyle changes.

Overweight and obese individuals are at risk for higher levels of cholesterol in their blood, which increases their risk for cardiovascular disease. For this reason, weight loss is often recommended to help lower cholesterol.

Triglycerides and low-density lipoproteins are both found in your bloodstream. Along with high-density lipoproteins, these particles make up your cholesterol profile. According to the American Heart Association, high levels of triglycerides and LDL cholesterol are associated with an increased risk of coronary diseases.

Having a high level of triglycerides raises the risk of heart disease, heart attack and stroke. Lowering triglyceride levels requires lifestyle changes, such as getting regular exercise, losing excess weight, quitting smoking, eating a low-fat diet and managing stress.

Blood alcohol content (BAC) is the amount of alcohol per unit of blood in the bloodstream. Alcohol that is consumed is absorbed by the body in the stomach and small intestine and enters the bloodstream. According to the National Traffic Highway Safety Administration, alcohol is absorbed quickly by the body.

The National Cholesterol Education Program, established in 1985, stresses the importance of getting your cholesterol checked at least every five years. Monitoring your cholesterol levels helps you to understand and control your risk for heart disease.

The amount of cholesterol in your blood is directly correlated with your risk of developing heart disease, the leading cause of death in the United States. Cholesterol tests involve drawing a blood sample from your arm to measure the level of cholesterol components in your blood.

Elevated GGT can signify many serious health issues. The liver enzyme is a telltale sign of many liver diseases and cancer, alcoholism, pancreas- and kidney-related issues. It may even foretell your risk of cardiovascular death.

Different classes of cholesterol-lowering medications work by different mechanisms. Statins block cholesterol synthesis in the liver, while cholesterol absorption inhibitors decrease cholesterol absorption.

When you get a blood cholesterol test, the results reveal information about three types of lipids in your arteries: low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, also known as LDL or “bad” cholesterol; high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, sometimes called “good” or HDL cholesterol, and triglycerides, a type of fat that tends t

High cholesterol affects your health in more than one way. In most cases it shows no signs and has no symptoms. There is an exception, however -- a condition by the name of familial hypercholesterolaemia.