Dyslipidemia is a complex word for what most of us know as a condition of high cholesterol. It is not an easy story to tell and the arithmetic is even more difficult. First, the translation…dys – means disorder; lipid – a fat-like substance, and emia – a blood related issue. Dyslipidemia is an imbalance of fat-like substances in the blood.

What is all the fuss about? A serious hardening characteristic of arteriosclerosis is caused by a build up of fatty deposits are made mostly of cholesterol. Advanced stages of this plaque build up can cause a diminished blood supply to the heart. Heart disease is still the major killer in the United States and individuals with blood cholesterol levels above 240 are three times more likely to suffer a heart attack than those whose cholesterol level is under 180. Doctors differ on the actual “safe” cholesterol level. Many conventional practitioners feel 220 to be an acceptable level and there are doctors who feel very strongly about maintaining a blood cholesterol level of 160. What doctors do agree upon is - lower is better. Unfortunately, for many, the first warning sign of trouble is the dreaded heart attack, and one third of these are fatal. Lowering cholesterol levels is clearly the way to prevent problems.

Sound simple? Not so fast! Not all cholesterol is “bad”. One type of cholesterol signals problems while another kind of cholesterol can actually prevent heart disease. Triglycerides and cholesterol are the lipids of primary concern. Oils and fats in the foods we eat are stored in fat cells until the body converts that to heat energy. Cholesterol is produced in your liver and intestines. The food you eat also contributes to the overall supply of this wax-like substance. Triglycerides and cholesterol must be transported though the blood stream by proteins called low-density lipoproteins (LDL). This new LDL cholesterol (“bad cholesterol”) can result in cholesterol deposits on the artery walls if the cholesterol levels are too high. High-density lipoproteins carry HDL cholesterol, the “good cholesterol”, which is thought to remove excess “bad cholesterol” from cells and back to the liver for reuse or broken down and eliminated from the body. An easy way to remember the good from the bad is to keep HDL high and LDL low.