In colloquial terms, there are two kinds of cholesterol -- "good" and "bad." In reality, however, there's only one kind of cholesterol molecule but two kinds of cholesterol transporters. LDL transporters, or low-density lipoprotein, carry cholesterol from the liver to the body cells for uptake. HDL transporters, or high-density lipoprotein, carry cholesterol back to the liver for excretion. The American Heart Association recommends that LDL levels be as low as possible, and HDL levels be as high as possible.
Decrease Saturated and Trans Fat Intake
To optimize cholesterol levels, it's important to minimize intake of saturated and trans fats. Saturated fats are animal fats but also include tropical oils like coconut oil. Trans fats are processed fats, such as partially hydrogenated soybean oil. Both saturated and trans fats increase LDL, which can cause cholesterol to build up in the bloodstream and in the arteries, leading to atherosclerosis, says Dr. Lauralee Sherwood in her book "Human Physiology." In addition, trans fat can actually lower levels of HDL. Since HDL helps clear cholesterol out of the system, lowering HDL levels is inadvisable.
Exercise
Regular exercise has a positive effect on both LDL and HDL cholesterol, according to studies like a 2001 article published in the scholarly journal Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis, and Vascular Biology. The authors says that individuals engaging in at least 30 minutes of aerobic exercise three or more times per week lowered their LDL and increased their HDL blood levels, both of which have cardioprotective effects, meaning that they help prevent heart disease and stroke. Researchers aren't sure why exercise lowers LDL, but it appears that exercise stimulates the body to produce HDL.
Drink Moderate Alcohol
Perhaps surprisingly, alcohol in moderation can have a positive effect on blood cholesterol and can help prevent heart attack and stroke. A 2000 study in the medical journal Circulation suggests that the mechanism for this relationship has to do with transport of certain lipoproteins, or cholesterol transport precursors. While consumption of large quantities of alcohol on a regular basis has a negative effect on health in many ways, individuals who consume moderate alcohol -- approximately one drink a day for women and one to two drinks per day for men -- have lower LDL and higher HDL than those who don't drink.
References
- American Heart Association: Cholesterol
- "Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis, and Vascular Biology"; Effects of Endurance Exercise Training on Plasma HDL Cholesterol Levels Depend on Levels of Triglycerides: Evidence From Men of the Health, Risk Factors, Exercise Training and Genetics (HERITAGE) Family Study; C. Couillard et al; July 2001
- "Circulation"; Alcohol Consumption Raises HDL Cholesterol Levels by Increasing the Transport Rate of Apolipoproteins A-I and A-II; E. Silva et al; 2000
