LDL (Low Density Lipoprotein) is a low density lipoprotein. Because cholesterol is insoluble in water, it requires a water-soluble carrier like lipoprotein to be transported through the bloodstream, and LDL’s job is to transport cholesterol to the “site” of endothelial damage from toxins, bacteria, free radicals, and other foreign agents. HDL (High Density Lipoprotein) is the high-density lipoprotein that is responsible for delivering antioxidants to the “site” of endothelial injury for anti-inflammatory purposes, and for recycling cholesterol that has been damaged by free radicals and bringing it back to the liver for reuse. Why is LDL considered to be the “bad” cholesterol? Because the more it is present in the blood, the more damage the endothelium has suffered from inflammation. Also, cholesterol is the raw material for wound repair, and cholesterol damaged by free radicals is always present at the “scene” of injury, so both cholesterol and LDL are inevitably mistaken for the “bad” guys. Why do people refer to HDL as the “good” cholesterol? Because we don’t want the damaged cholesterol to accumulate in our blood vessels. The more “ambulances” the better! And what are triglycerides? Triglycerides are the basic molecular structure of fats and oils, and its carrier in the blood is VLDL (Very Low Density Lipoprotein). The difference between triglycerides and cholesterol is that triglycerides provide energy while cholesterol does not. High triglycerides indicate a tendency for the body to have excess energy. What does excess energy mean? Obesity. Total cholesterol = LDL + HDL + triglycerides / 5. The ratio [total cholesterol/HDL] is the most important indicator of cardiovascular disease risk. The smaller the ratio, the better. In other words, total cholesterol should not be too high and HDL should not be too low. Is high cholesterol caused by eating foods that contain a lot of cholesterol? No, it is not. The human body produces 85% of its own cholesterol and only 15% is consumed from food. If you consume more cholesterol from food, you will produce less. The amount of cholesterol in the blood is not directly related to the food you eat. Why is my LDL elevated? Because you have inflammation in the endothelium of your blood vessels! Why are my triglycerides elevated? Because your energy metabolism is out of balance!