How to Get Your Good Cholesterol Up
We hear a lot about bringing cholesterol down, but there is one component of your cholesterol screening that you want to have high. This is the high-density lipoproteins (HDL) found in your blood. Unlike low-density lipoproteins (LDL), HDL levels are numbers that physicians like to see higher because this particular lipoprotein helps carry cholesterol away from the heart. A good number will be 60 mg or above. Keeping high levels of HDL will result in optimum heart health.Things You'll Need
- Cholesterol screening results
Instructions
-
-
1
Eat healthy. Nothing compares to fresh fruits and vegetables, but fats are a major concern with blood cholesterol. Fat should not be completely eliminated from your diet, but monounsaturated or polyunsaturated fats should replace saturated and trans fat whenever possible. Fried foods are culprits. Eat fish (halibut, salmon and herring) twice a week.
-
2
Lose weight. A few pounds can make a big difference with cholesterol levels.
-
3
Get active. Exercise can raise HDL levels and is important to overall health. Most specialists recommend 120 minutes per week, but the National Institutes for Health says 30 minutes every day is preferable.
-
4
Don't smoke. Smoking damages blood vessels and quickens hardening of the arteries, according to The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Smoking also lowers HDL levels, reports the Mayo Clinic. If you smoke, stopping can increase HDL up to 10 percent.
-
5
Limit alcohol. While there have been reports of alcohol raising HDL levels, the Mayo Clinic reports these benefits aren't "strong enough to recommend alcohol for anyone who doesn't drink already." Moderate drinking means one drink per day for women and two for men.
-
6
Limit cholesterol. Many foods have cholesterol. If it comes from an animal or if it is made with animal products, it will have cholesterol. Check labels carefully.
-
7
Try niacin. This B vitamin is linked with increasing HDL, according to the National Institutes of Health.
-
1