The higher your HDL levels the lower your chances of developing coronary heart disease. HDL, the good cholesterol, takes excess bad cholesterol in the blood and sends it to the liver for disposal. The higher your HDL levels, the less bad LDL cholesterol you have in your blood. Even if your LDL cholesterol levels are normal, having low HDL cholesterol can increase your risk of heart disease. So raising your good cholesterol is as important as getting rid of bad cholesterol.
Instructions
Step 1
Participate in brisk aerobic exercise for 30 minutes several times a week, if not every day, according to researchers at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Md. Exercise will keep your weight down and boost your HDL levels.
Step 2
Lose some weight. If you have excess weight in the belly you are at risk of heart disease. Make sure your diet is low in saturated fat and rich in unsaturated fatty acids found in olive and canola oil, almonds, peanuts, walnuts, pecans, salmon, mackerel and shellfish.
Step 3
Keep triglycerides at a low level, suggests Dr. William Davis of HealthCentral.com. Triglycerides are the chemical form from fats in food and in the body. Omega-3 fatty acids found in salmon and mackerel tackle triglycerides and keep HDL at healthy levels. Reduce trans fats by avoiding processed foods, margarine, junk food and foods made with wheat or cornstarch.
Step 4
Drink red wine in moderation. Two glasses a day will raise HDL. Red wine has additional benefits of lowering blood sugar and blood pressure. The antioxidants in red wine slow down or prevent oxidative damage to the body when the cells use oxygen.
Step 5
Choose dark chocolate with 70 percent cocoa or more, not to exceed 40 grams a day.
Step 6
Drink several cups of brewed green tea each day. Green tea elevates HDL cholesterol.
Step 7
Get healthy doses of vitamin D from fish, eggs and milk.
Step 8
Take niacin, a B vitamin that lowers LDL by 10 to 20 percent. It lifts HDL levels 15 to 35 percent, according to the Mayo Clinic. Niacin is found in multivitamin supplements or in foods such as dairy products, lean meats, poultry, fish, nuts, eggs and enriched breads and cereals.
Step 9
Have some cranberry juice, advises RaisingHDLLevels.com, an informational Web site. The flavonoids in cranberry juice boost HDL.
Step 10
Add soluble fiber to your diet. Two servings each day will increase HDL levels. Fresh vegetables, fruits, oats and legumes are full of soluble fiber.
