The first and most important step in increasing your HDL (High-Density Lipoprotein) levels is a change in your lifestyle. Modifying different aspects of your life such as diet and exercise can drastically improve your cholesterol levels. Since HDL is the “good” cholesterol having a higher level is not a bad thing. In fact, the higher your HDL level, the lower your chances are of developing coronary heart disease. Here are a few quick tips to get you started in the right direction of raising your HDL cholesterol levels.

Lose Weight: If you are overweight, reducing your weight will increase your HDL levels. Excess weight in your belly is a red flag to watch your waist-to-hip ratio. Your waist size to hip size is more important in determining cardiac risks than your weight itself.

Aerobic Exercise: Daily exercise may be the most effective way to raise HDL levels. Walking, bike riding, and swimming are great exercises to do regularly. 30 minutes a day is recommended to help control cholesterol levels.

Quit Smoking: The cessation of cigarette smoking will increase HDL cholesterol levels. Giving up tobacco has many other health benefits as well.

Cut out Trans Fatty Acids: Read your nutrition labels! Trans fatty acids are present in more prepared foods than we think. Watch out for labels that say, “partially hydrogenated oils.” Eliminating these fatty acids from your diet will definitely increase your HDL levels and lower your LDL levels as well.

Increase the monounsaturated fat intake: Although it has the word “Fat” in it, these monounsaturated fats will help give your HDL levels a boost while not increasing your total cholesterol levels. These fats are in the form of Olive Oil, Canola Oil, Avocado Oil, and even fats found in peanut butter.

Add soluble fiber to your diet: Getting 2 servings of soluble fiber each day is a great way to increase HDL levels. Soluble fiber can be found in fresh vegetables, fruits, oats, and legumes. So eat up!

Drink Cranberry Juice: Cranberry juice can help raise HDL levels as well but is not the only way to do it. So drink a glass of cranberry juice but concentrate on exercise as well.

Increase Omega-3 Fatty-Acids (Fish Oil): Fish and fish oil have been shown to help prevent cardiovascular disease. Fish Oil can help raise “good” cholesterol and counteract LDL cholesterol.

Often called “Good Cholesterol,” HDL stands for High-Density Lipoprotein. HDL is a blood substance that picks up cholesterol and helps remove it from the body. HDL is known as the “good” cholesterol because high levels seem to protect against cardiovascular disease and heart attacks. HDL cholesterol clears out excess cholesterol in the blood vessels of your body. This excess cholesterol can be arterial plaque buildup that leads to coronary problems.

Good cholesterol protects the arteries from atherosclerosis. HDL cholesterol interferes with the accumulation of LDL (Low-Density Lipoprotein) cholesterol particles in the artery walls.

Raising HDL levels in important because it is strongly related to risks of heart attacks and atherosclerosis. High HDL levels are associated with a lower risk of developing these conditions. And on the flip side, low levels of HDL cholesterol are linked to a higher risk. Having either a very high HDL cholesterol level or a very low level can be genetic. Families that have high HDL levels tend to have a lower risk of heart attacks and are shown to live longer.

Women generally have higher HDL cholesterol levels due to the presence of estrogen. Estrogen tends to raise HDL levels. HDL cholesterol is also higher in people who are thin, who do not smoke, and who watch their diet and exercise regularly.

HDL cholesterol levels of 40mg/dL are considered to be low and increase your risk for heart disease and other problems. According to WebMD, “A low HDL-C level is thought to accelerate the development of atherosclerosis because of impaired reverse cholesterol transport and possibly because of the absence of other protective effects of HDL, such as decreased oxidation of other lipoproteins.”

Many studies show the link between low levels of HDL cholesterol and major cardiovascular complications. Also, low HDL levels are associated with coronary heart disease (CHD). It can also be a risk for decline in memory and is related to clot-related stroke in the elderly.

Early screenings for Total Cholesterol and HDL and LDL levels is essential. Lowering your total cholesterol can be easily treated by modifying a few simple things in your lifestyle. Raising HDL cholesterol levels is important in order to avoid cardiovascular disease and other complications. Reviewing all pages of this site is an excellent step in the right direction.

There are several different ways to raise HDL levels. (See Quick Tips). You may just want to re-examine your diet. One of the best ways to control your cholesterol levels is by replacing “bad” fats with healthier fats. We suggest reading your nutrition labels. Eliminating trans fatty acids from your diet will help raise your HDL levels. Trans fats are found in many of our packaged foods and also in fast food restaurants. You can replace your “bad” fats with good fats such as monounsaturated fats.

Some other different foods that can help raise your HDL cholesterol levels are:

Omega-3 Fatty Acids (Found in Fish and Fish Oils)
Fresh fruits and vegetables
Legumes (beans)
Whole wheat bread
Berries
Eggs
Cranberry Juice
Also, avoid fried foods and reach for grilled or baked items instead. Remember to check your labels! Avoid foods that are labeled as “partially hydrogenated oils” or have the word “trans” in it. You can also use margarine instead of butter. Simple changes in the way you eat and make a big difference when it comes to raising HDL levels.

Reading your own blood work results can sometimes be a challenge. You need to know what you are looking for and what the normal ranges are. One of the first readings you might see is your “Total Cholesterol.” A desirable level is a total level less than 199 mg/dL. Total cholesterol levels from 200 mg/dL to 239 mg/dL are considered to be borderline levels on their way to high cholesterol. Total cholesterol levels over 240 mg/dL are considered to be high cholesterol levels and can increase risk for heart disease.

It is important, however, to break down your cholesterol levels into LDL and HDL ratios as well. Since this site is all about raising HDL levels, we will break it down.

A desirable range for HDL cholesterol levels is anywhere from 40-60mg/dL. Any level above 60 mg/dL is considered to be a high HDL level and is very healthy. Any HDL level below 40 mg/dL is considered to be undesirable. Low HDL cholesterol levels can contribute to heart disease. An optimal level for LDL cholesterol would be any level less than 100mg/dL.

The Total Cholesterol level to HDL cholesterol level is a number that can help lower the risk of atherosclerosis. You can determine your Total Chol/HDL by dividing your total cholesterol level by your HDL level. The higher the ratio, the higher the risk of heart attack.