When "Normal" Isn't Normal In the past, standards for many health-related measures were determined by the average for the general population. Recently, though, some researchers have proposed that certain "normal" or "borderline" test results for cholesterol (as well as for triglycerides and blood pressure) may actually be unhealthy--and could be early warning signs for heart disease. The American Heart Association recommends total cholesterol of less than 200 mg/dL (milligrams per deciliter), LDL of less than 130 mg/dL (the upper end of the near-optimal range), and HDL of 40 mg/dL or more. While experts don't agree on which numbers are best, it does look as though lower total cholesterol is better. In a study of 6,500 Chinese with an average total cholesterol of 127 mg/dL (compared with our 203 mg/dL), the death rate from heart disease was almost 17 times less for men and 6 times less for women. The Chinese ate half as much fat and one-tenth as much meat as Americans. Most experts believe that your total cholesterol isn't the most important number, since a high level of HDL--the good kind--can drive up your cholesterol reading. The Framingham Cardiovascular Institute in Massachusetts urges its patients to focus on their levels of LDL--the bad kind--and their ratios of total cholesterol to HDL, which may be the most accurate gauge of heart health. The institute recommends aiming for LDL below 110 and a total cholesterol/HDL ratio of less than 4 to 1. Excerpted from Win the Cholesterol War: 100 Real-Life Secrets to Trim Points (And Pounds) by Holly McCord All rights reserved by the original copyright owners. Excerpts are provided for display purposes only and may not be reproduced, reprinted or distributed without the written permission of the publisher.