HDL Cholesterol: How to Raise Good Cholesterol Levels

High cholesterol levels and the heart issues associated with them are nothing new. Rapid urbanisation, changing lifestyles, and eating habits are all contributing to the sudden escalation in high cholesterol patients across the world. But did you know that all cholesterol is not bad for your health? Yes, there is “good” cholesterol that can improve your health and fight the “bad” cholesterol. This cholesterol is called HDL cholesterol (high-density lipoprotein), and to maintain a healthy cholesterol level, our aim should be to balance the HDL and LDL cholesterol levels. If HDL cholesterol is good, LDL cholesterol (low-density lipoprotein) is the bad counterpart, but in this article, we are going to discuss the ways to raise good cholesterol levels.

 

 

The good and the bad

As we discussed above, there is good and bad cholesterol, and balancing the amount of these two types is essential to staying healthy. Low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL) is referred to as “bad” cholesterol because, in excess, it builds up in the corners of blood vessels, creating clots that will limit the amount of space in which blood can flow, eventually causing issues such as strokes. Lowering the LDL cholesterol levels in the blood will lower the risk of stroke and other heart diseases.

 

On the other hand, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL) is called good cholesterol because it can gather up the excess bad cholesterol from blood vessels and transport it to the liver, where it is taken care of. The normal HDL level for men is between 40 and 60 mg/dl, but for women, it is between 50 and 70 mg/dl. Maintaining these ideal levels of good cholesterol is important to keep bad cholesterol in check and maintain your overall health. But how do you raise your good cholesterol levels? You guessed it; the answer is a good diet and lifestyle, and we are going to discuss some effective strategies to increase your HDL levels.

 

 

Ways to raise “good” cholesterol levels

As we discussed above, maintaining the ideal levels of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL cholesterol) is essential for improving your heart health and lowering the LDL cholesterol levels in your bloodstream to avoid conditions like stroke and other heart issues. But how do we do it? There are several ways to improve the HDL levels in your blood, including special diets and supplements.

 

Weight loss: Even though this is not true for all cases, weight gain and obesity are often associated with high cholesterol levels. If this is your case, losing weight can lower the LDL levels and increase the HDL cholesterol levels. Avoiding high-carb foods and following a diet recommended by your doctor or dietitian can make your weight-loss journey easier.

 

Exercise: Physical activity and regular exercise are essential for maintaining your overall health, but they can also aid you if you are trying to improve your HDL cholesterol levels. High-intensity exercises such as weightlifting can not only improve HDL cholesterol levels but also improve the anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant effects of HDL, contributing to the overall health of your body.

 

Avoid processed foods and trans fat: Processed food can contain artificial trans fat, and consuming it is proven to reduce HDL cholesterol levels in your blood. Though trans fat is present in natural food items such as diary and meat products, the manufactured trans fat in processed food is different from it and can cause many additional problems in your body, apart from reducing your HDL levels.

 

Diet: Like we discussed above, weight loss and controlling what you consume are good ways to improve HDL levels, but even if obesity isn't a problem for you, you can still suffer from cholesterol issues. Many Indians have a skinny-fat body type, and we store a lot of fat in our tummy area. Lowering your carbohydrate consumption and planning a diet with food items that will raise your HDL levels is a good way to deal with this. Nuts, fatty fish such as mackerel and salmon, citrus fruits, apples, berries, plant-based protein, and fibre-rich vegetables are all food items you can include in your diet to improve your HDL cholesterol levels.

 

Quite smoking: We don't really need anyone else to tell us that smoking is bad for you; we already know that. Even though you follow a healthy diet and exercise routine to improve your HDL cholesterol levels and overall health, bad habits and lifestyles will counteract these efforts. Many studies have shown that quitting smoking might improve your “good” cholesterol levels and your heart and lung health.

 

Conclusion

Improving your HDL levels is sure to improve your overall health, and it can help you reduce the ‘bad’ LDL cholesterol levels and balance the overall cholesterol levels in your body. Properly monitoring your cholesterol levels can help you control your diet and other daily routines as well. Aza Diagnostic Centre is a premium lab in Kannur, and the technological excellence and talented team of professionals make us the best among multispeciality diagnostic centres in Kannur and Calicut. NABL-accredited and USFDA-approved, Aza is among the best scanning centres in Kannur, offering a wide range of health checkup packages. Connect with us and explore our premium plans.