With so much focus on blood lipids, including cholesterol, you’ve probably had more than one lipid profile in your lifetime to measure your lipid levels. Most people are familiar with LDL-cholesterol, a type of lipoprotein that carries cholesterol through the bloodstream.
If your LDL cholesterol is high, your physician might have told you to make lifestyle changes or given you medications to bring it down. But there’s another form of lipoprotein that carries cholesterol called HDL-cholesterol.
While LDL-cholesterol can deposit cholesterol into the walls of your arteries, HDL-cholesterol has the opposite function. It carries cholesterol away from the walls of arteries. So, you want your HDL cholesterol to be high to lower your risk of cardiovascular disease. Since HDL cholesterol has the function of clearing cholesterol from the inner walls of arteries, it reduces the risk of plaque-forming and causing cardiovascular disease.
Where do you stand? You can find out what your own LDL-cholesterol and HDL-cholesterol are by asking your physician to draw blood and run a lipid profile. It’s important to follow your lipid levels throughout life.
If your doctor tells you that your HDL cholesterol is too low, what can you do? For some people, lifestyle changes can increase this beneficial type of cholesterol-carrying lipoprotein. You might wonder what lifestyle changes are effective. Beyond medication, here’s what science shows can help raise HDL cholesterol.
Lose Weight
Being significantly overweight or obese are independent risk factors for cardiovascular disease independent of your lipid levels. However, carrying too much weight can also lower your HDL-cholesterol and raise LDL-cholesterol, both of which are undesirable.
Weight loss can help. Studies show that losing weight, if you’re overweight, can raise HDL-cholesterol by 13% and that’s enough to lower your risk of cardiovascular disease. Losing weight also reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease and stroke by improving blood pressure, insulin sensitivity, and by decreasing inflammation.
Stop Smoking
Smoking isn’t healthy for your lungs, but it’s also a risky habit for your heart. Studies show that kicking the smoking habit can raise HDL cholesterol an average of 6%. It doesn’t sound like much, but it’s enough to reduce your risk of heart attack and stroke. Quitting smoking isn’t easy, but there are prescription aids that can make it easier. It’s worth it too since smoking is linked with many health problems beyond cardiovascular disease. You can lead an otherwise healthy lifestyle, but smoking can cancel out the benefits you gain. So, make a commitment to quit.
Boost Your Physical Activity
Along with the other heart health benefits of exercise, it can increase your HDL-cholesterol by 6%, similar to the amount quitting smoking does. But the benefits of exercise for your heart go far beyond that. Regular physical activity lowers blood pressure, improves insulin sensitivity and blood sugar control, and makes the heart a more efficient pump. This all bodes well for heart health. Exercise is one of the best non-prescriptions for heart health there and you don’t need to visit a pharmacy to enjoy its health benefits.
Although stretching and walking at a leisurely pace is relaxing, research shows more vigorous exercise has an edge for raising HDL cholesterol. So, pick up the pace and add hills to your walking routine. If you opt for a more vigorous workout, running is an excellent workout for boosting HDL cholesterol. One study found that HDL levels rose with the number of miles runners ran. But don’t do so much that your body doesn’t have enough time to recover.
High-intensity interval training is another way to boost the intensity of your workouts without the repetitive stress that running places on your lower body. You can vary the exercises you include in a HIIT routine for more variety.
Watch What You Eat
Diet is another element that affects HDL cholesterol. For example, the type of fat you eat matters. Studies show that a diet high in trans-fat, once in many processed foods negatively affects blood lipids, including HDL. Fortunately, companies are phasing high levels of trans-fat out of their products at the FDA’s mandate.
However, not all fats are bad. Studies show that eating a diet that contains monounsaturated fat, like the fats in olive oil and avocados, may raise HDL cholesterol and lower the risk of cardiovascular disease. Eating a Mediterranean diet rich in fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, olive oil, and low in sugar, red meat, and processed foods is beneficial for blood lipids, including HDL-cholesterol.
Alcohol in Moderation
Alcohol isn’t for everyone, especially if those who have a history of liver problems. However, consuming an ounce of alcohol daily can increase HDL cholesterol by an average of 8%. The best form of alcohol for heart health is red wine since it contains resveratrol and other antioxidants that, based on some studies, may benefit heart health, assuming you consume it in moderation.
However, women should know that some studies show drinking more than one alcoholic drink daily may raise the risk of breast cancer. If you have a family history of breast cancer, it’s safest to avoid drinking alcohol since the breast cancer risks may outweigh the heart health benefits of the alcohol.
If you make these changes and your HDL cholesterol doesn’t budge, talk to your healthcare provider. Depending on your personal and family history and the other values on your lipid profile, they might recommend a medication to modify your lipids. But if your HDL cholesterol is only modestly too low, lifestyle changes may be all you need to get a healthier lipid profile.
The Bottom Line
Now you know some practical ways to naturally raise your HDL cholesterol and reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease. A higher HDL-cholesterol level may lower your risk of developing coronary cardiovascular disease, so it pays to take the time to get yours as healthy as possible. Put these lifestyle tips into practice, and make sure you’re leading a heart-healthy lifestyle.
References:
- org. “HDL cholesterol: How to boost your ‘good’ cholesterol”
- com. “HDL cholesterol: How to boost your ‘good’ cholesterol”
- Lipids Health Dis. 2014; 13: 154.Published online 2014 Oct 1. doi: 10.1186/1476-511X-13-154.
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