Hello everyone,

I am a bit confused about the way total cholesterol is calculated
hdl + ldl + (triglycerides / 5).
My report from a lab shows:

hdl - 80 mg/dL or 2.07 mmol/L
ldl - 127 mg/dL or 3.3 mmol/L
triglycerides - 106 mg/dL or 1.2 mmol/L

Therefore my total cholesterol equals - 228 mg/dL or 5.9 mmol/L
After doing some research on the internet, I found that the optimal level for total cholesterol to be about or below 200 mg/dL. Hdl are said to be the GOOD cholesterol; Ldl BAD. My Hdl level as you can see is very high and that contributes directly to the total cholesterol. Wouldn't it be better for me to actually have less GOOD cholesterol :confused: and thus lover total cholesterol? Let's say if my hdl is only 60 mg/dL, which is still considered very good, my total cholesterol would add up to only 208 mg/dL. Or is this simply because my hdl level is abnormally high?

Thank you in advance for any replies..