HDL Cholesterol | Understanding HDL Cholesterol - The "Good" Cholesterol

Understanding HDL Cholesterol - The "Good" Guy

If you have had your cholesterol tested recently, no doubt you heard your doctor use terms such as HDL cholesterol and LDL cholesterol. These terms can be quite confusing if you are not aware of what they mean. Believe it or not, HDL cholesterol is considered to be the good guy when it comes to cholesterol and increasing this type of cholesterol can actually be a positive thing for your health.

Normal Levels of HDLCholesterol

First of all it is important to take a look at what your normal levels of HDL cholesterol should actually be. A normal person should have an HDL level of somewhere between 35-40. If your numbers are below this, you actually need to work on raising your levels of HDL for optimum health.

Why HDL is Important

While bad cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, can cause you to have health problems, having a proper amount of HDL cholesterol is important to help to prevent health problems. The good cholesterol helps to rid the body of excess bad cholesterol by cleaning the arteries and blood vessels. This helps to avoid the buildup of cholesterol that can cause blockages and heart disease. Sadly, so many people are worried about lowering their cholesterol that they completely forget how important it is to make sure that you raise your levels of good cholesterol.

Raising HDL Levels

So, you may be wondering what you can actually do to raise these levels of HDL cholesterol. There are actually a variety of easy ways that you can do so.

Exercise - One of the best ways that you can raise your levels of good cholesterol is to start exercising. Just doing some simple exercising that gets your heart beating faster, even for only 20-30 minutes can be a significant help in raising HDL levels.

Avoid Eating Trans Fats - Foods that contain trans fats in them actually can do two negative things. First of all they can actually raise your levels of bad cholesterol, and secondly they can lower the levels of good cholesterol in your body. So, avoiding these trans fats can actually provide you with two-fold benefits.

Lose a Few Pounds - Being overweight can also be lowering your good cholesterol. If you lose a few pounds you will be able to raise your HDL and lower the levels of LDL in your body. You will also start to feel a great deal better as well.

Quit the Smoking Habit - Just simply giving up your cigarettes can help you raise your HDL as well. Smoking tends to lower the levels of good cholesterol, so give it up and you will improve your health in a variety of great ways.

Soluble Fiber is Important - One of the best ways to lower your levels of HDL cholesterol is to start eating a diet that is high in soluble fiber. Foods that fit in this category include whole grains, vegetables, and fruits.

Remember, having the right amount of HDL cholesterol is important to your health.

Just making a few simple changes in your life can help you elevate your HDL levels and help you get rid of the bad cholesterol as well.