Alexander Slade

3/2/2019
BIO 121-001
Professor Debby Dempsey
Lipid Profile Assignment
In today’s society, there are an abundance of opportunities to cater towards a healthy
lifestyle. There’s never been a better time to make positive choices for our bodies, hearts, minds,
and health. However, as society progresses and life becomes quicker, so do our lifestyle choices.
While we have an ever-expanding assortment of healthy foods and activities, we also have an
ever-growing list of bad decisions (whether lifestyle, food, or day-to-day activities) that can steer
us down a wrong path. In the history of the human race, there has never been a time more
efficient and gratifying as the present. Our society wants everything quicker, cheaper, and easier,
which often means lower quality and ever-deteriorating health standards. One of the greatest
threats to our health and well-being is our fat, or, lipid, percentage in our bodies. I recently
visited the Little Clinic and received a Lipid Profile, which gave me several points of data to
analyze and reflect upon.
Upon receiving my Lipid Profile test at the Little Clinic, I was given a list of information
in regards to my cholesterol, fat, and sugar content. In short, my numbers were as follows:
Cholesterol- 218; Triglycerides- 103; LDL- 118; HDL- 80. As I looked at these numbers, they
honestly meant nothing to me, other than being told they were somewhat normal. Upon
researching the data given, I was better able to interpret and understand the assessment that I was
given.
Cholesterol is a term that we often hear as being a sort of “trigger” word for heart disease
and general un-wellness. In my research, I found that the healthy level of Cholesterol should fall
somewhere around the 200 mg/dL mark. Mine, however, was at 218 at the time I took the test.
While this isn’t necessarily a dangerous level or any cause for alarm, it’s certainly not the best I
could be doing. Deciding that I needed to lower my Cholesterol levels, at least slightly, I looked
for my options. The number one lifestyle change I came across to change my cholesterol levels is
in regard to saturated fats. Above everything else, I need to limit or completely reduce my intake
of Saturated fats to lower my cholesterol level.
In addition to my Cholesterol reading, my Triglycerides read at a level of 103 mg/dL. An
amount less than 150 mg/dL is a good reading, so it seems that I’m doing a fine job with my
Triglyceride levels, at least for now. Getting into the specifics, my LDL level was at 118 mg/dL,
whereas a healthy amount is less than 100 mg/dL. In addition, my HDL level was at 80, whereas
a healthy male amount is 40 mg/dL. For all of these numbers, it seems that my best method of
lowering them is to reduce my saturated fat intake and to lose as much of my excess fat. In
addition to this, I can also increase my fiber intake and increase my plant-protein intake.
All-in-all, my lipid profile assessment wasn’t as awful as I was expecting it to be. Though
I’ve been going to the gym and trying to watch my food intake more closely, I was expecting
much higher numbers. However, there’s a history of high blood pressure and other heart diseases
in my family, which I don’t want to take my risk towards. I am going to continue to strive
towards better lifestyle and eating habits, and try to convince those around me to do the same.