Maria,

Looking at your numbers just from the standard medical advice point of view:
The biggest concern is LDL. It used to be that LDL should be below 130. The new advice that came out in 2001 was to keep LDL below 100. However, most GP and Family Practice doctors are still going with the 130. My doctor was happy with my LDL being 118 last year.

Although most doctors, including GP and Family doctors want total cholesterol below 200, often they take into consideration anyone whose HDL is well above 60 and total cholesterol below 240 to still be 'safe'.

As for your numbers. If you were to take 500mg of Niacin a day. Niacin from Nitronic Acid, the real stuff and none of the so called "no flush' niacin brands, your HDL would go even higher and your LDL and total cholesterol would come down.
The brand sold at Wal Mart and Costco called SLO Niacin is the real stuff and it is actually better than the more expensive brands sold at health food stores.

Exercise also raises HDL and that is probably why your HDL is so high. I think you bike more than I drive.

Thank you everyone for the responses and websites!

Although my friend is brainwashed by standard thinking (as most Americans are), he is also very open minded and interested to learn alternative views.  I know he will appreciate the information.  I was mostly worried about him taking cholesterol lowing meds, but glad to know he is off them now.

I just found out that my friend had his numbers rechecked.  His total was 176, LDL was 109 and triglycerides were 78.

His doctor wants to put him back on Lipitor!!!!

He said his doctor wants his LDL <100.

I passed him the website info and the niacin tip (which I know works because I've used it myself).  I urged him NOT to go back on the Lipitor, but he will have to decide for himself whether to trust his doctor or not.

Additionally, a female friend just told me that her doctor told her to start drinking to raise her HDL!  Her HDL was 25 and LDL was 130 (she did not know triglycerides).  I did not know that alcohol raises HDL so I looked it up.

For those who wonder why I am concerned at all about my cholesterol numbers: When you are no longer on an employer's group health insurance and you pay for your own the difference between total cholesterol of 199 and 229 can be $100.00 a month.

The world has gone mad.