increase your HDL Levels ( GOOD cholesterol) as a part of Cholesterol Treatment

High HDL cholesterol levels (cholesterol) seem to confer some degree of protection from heart disease. If you have reduced levels of HDL, you have an increased risk of early coronary artery disease. Normal levels for HDL is 35 - 40 mg/DL.

Why is HDL cholesterol protective?

The HDL molecule is a complex molecule consisting of protein, lipids, and cholesterol. The HDL molecule “scours” the walls of blood vessels, and cleans out excess cholesterol and acts as a vehicle to transfer the bad cholesterol to liver for further processing.

What steps you can adopt to increase your HDL levels?

1. Regular Aerobic exercise like walking, jogging or bike riding, that raises your heart rate for 20 - 30 minutes at a time increases the HDL levels.

2.Obesity results not only in increased LDL cholesterol, but also in reduced HDL cholesterol. If you are overweight, reducing your weight should increase your HDL levels.

3. Stop smoking. If you smoke, giving up tobacco will result in an increase in HDL levels.

4. Cut out the trans fatty acids. Trans fatty acids are currently present in many of your favorite prepared foods - anything in which the nutrition label reads "partially hydrogenated vegetable oils". But trans fatty acids not only increase LDL cholesterol levels, they also reduce HDL cholesterol levels.

5. Avoid alcohol completely. Stop believing that 1 peg red wine is good for your heart.

6. Increase the monounsaturated fats in your diet because monounsaturated fats such as canola oil, avocado oil, or olive oil can increase HDL cholesterol levels without increasing the total cholesterol. Use monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats instead of saturated fats and trans fats instead of

7. Add soluble fiber to your diet. Soluble fibers are found in oats, fruits, vegetables, and legumes, and result in both a reduction in LDL cholesterol and an increase HDL cholesterol. For best results, at least two servings a day should be used.

What about drugs for raising HDL cholesterol?

Drug therapy for raising HDL cholesterol levels has, so far, been less successful than for reducing LDL cholesterol. Statins, in particular, are often quite poor at increasing HDL levels. Of the drugs used to treat cholesterol, niacin is most effective at raising HDL levels.

Now that HDL levels are attracting more and more attention, several drug companies are attempting to develop new drugs aimed specifically at increasing HDL

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