subject: HDL cholesterol - How to increase your HDL levels [print this page] HDL cholesterol - How to increase your HDL levels
What is a Good HDL Cholesterol Level?
Cholesterol is a natural substance produced by the liver and it is essential for certain functions within the body. The liver produces eighty percent of the body's cholesterol, which is sufficient to meet the requirements of the body.
Cholesterol is divided into two categories - LDL and HDL. HDL cholesterol, or good cholesterol, appears to scour the walls of blood vessels, cleaning out excess cholesterol. HDL cholesterol works tirelessly to remove excess amounts of LDL cholesterol from your system by bringing it back to your liver for eventual excretion. High HDL levels have always been associated with reducing the risk of stroke or heart attack. However, it is worth noting, that low HDL levels are considered a good indicator of heart disease.
Next, this guide will help you with raising HDL cholesterol levels to ensure you remain heart healthy:
1. Stop smoking. Obviously, this doesn't apply to everyone with low HDL, but smoking is horrible on HDL levels and stopping this nasty habit will put a quick boost in your HDL numbers. (Do you live with a smoker? Get them to stop!)
2. More exercise. Here's a key tip for you on this one. The absolute best time to exercise for improved HDL is right before you eat. Of course, exercising any time of the day is good and should be done, but right before a meal will provide you with the best results. If at all possible, try to increase the amount of exercise you get, as regular exercise has shown excellent results, time and time again, at raising HDL cholesterol levels. A minimum of 30 to 40 minutes per day is enough to start with to make a difference to your HDL levels.
Also, the more times you raise your heart rate, the better. So three 20-minute 'workouts' is much better than one 60-minute workout. This may sound insignificant, but it's not. This one tip can greatly improve your health!
3. Reduce (avoid if possible) refined carbohydrates. This doesn't just include sugary sweets, but foods like flour, white rice, etc. Any food that causes your blood sugar to spike will lower your HDL.
Now that you know this, why not give yourself every chance of protecting yourself from heart disease and having great HDL cholesterol levels.
