Tuesday, January 12, 2010

3 Ways To Boost Low HDL Cholesterol Levels

By Joe Dungait

If you suffer from low HDL cholesterol, it is pretty imperative that you increase it as soon as possible. As you are probably aware there are two types of cholesterol in your body the HDL (which is classed as the good cholesterol), and the LDL (which is classed as the bad cholesterol). The fact is that neither of them are the good guy or the bad guy, in fact both of them are needed in the right balance for your body to function properly. Ultimately what you want is reasonably low levels of LDL and reasonably high levels of HDL. The reason for the high levels of HDL cholesterol is because you want this one to be mopping up the LDL to take it back to the liver for reprocessing. If there is too much LDL in your system then it is possible that this can lead to cardiovascular problems.

How To Boost Low HDL Cholesterol

1)Have More Omega3 - The vast majority of people do not get enough omega 3 in their diet, yet omega 3's have a huge impact on your cholesterol levels. Good sources of omega 3 are flax seeds and walnuts, however the best source is oily fish such as salmon or tuna. Fish such as the ones we have mentioned have essential fats in their omega 3's that help raise low HDL cholesterol, lowr LDL levels and also help to lower triglyceride levels too.

2)Exercise - Exercise can play a key part in getting the correct balance in your cholesterol levels. Most people when they hear the word exercise conjure up vivid pictures of intense workouts and expensive gym memberships, fortunately this does not have to be the case. Researchers now recognize that when it comes to exercise helping to raise low HDL cholesterol levels it is the duration that is important not the intensity. So by doing something as simple as walking briskly for 30 minutes a day 5 to 7 days a week would be extremely beneficial.

3)Lifestyle - Specific changes in lifestyle can go a long way in helping to raise low HDL cholesterol. Stopping smoking is a major one for obvious reasons. Another area you can cut down on is consuming fast food or ready made meals. The reason for this is because they often contain hydrogenated oils which turn into trans fats and raise your LDL cholesterol not your HDL.

By making the simple lifestyle changes such as watching the amount of fast or ready made food that you eat, increasing your omega-3's and exercising more then you will be able to raise your low HDL cholesterol levels. In an ideal world these are the kind of actions you want to be taking to avoid going on medications being prescribed to you for the rest of your life such as statins.

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