When you have HDL cholesterol in your blood, it grabs hold of LDL cholesterol and removes the LDL cholesterol before it can plant itself on the walls of your arteries and negatively affect your health. Reduce your risk of becoming another victim of heart disease by raising your HDL levels.
Add Nuts to Your Diet
According to research results reported by the Harvard School of Public Health, when people who ate nuts regularly were compared to people who rarely ate them, those who ate nuts were less likely to experience a heart attack or die from heart disease. Nuts add healthy unsaturated fat; for example, walnuts add specifically omega-3 fatty acids to your diet. These healthy fats are thought to play a role in raising your HDL cholesterol, notes Harvard School of Public Health.
When adding nuts to your diet, it is important to remember that nuts are high in fat and although it is healthy fat it still adds a significant amount of calories to your diet. Therefore, you should compensate for the added calories, by eliminating or reducing other things in your diet, because unnecessary weight gain can limit the positive effects of nuts.
Don't Light Up
Cigarette smoking has a negative effect on your overall health, but it also contributes to lower HDL cholesterol levels, notes the American Heart Association. Putting out your cigarettes and breaking your smoking habit for good will cause your HDL cholesterol levels to increase. It is also important to avoid exposure to secondhand smoke because regular exposure can cause lower HDL cholesterol levels just as if you were actually smoking.
Trim Back the Fat
You may want to make weight loss a goal if your HDL cholesterol levels are low. Cut down on the amount of calories you consume throughout the day. Reducing your calorie intake by just 500 calories per day will cause you to lose a pound of fat per week. Losing the extra fat you carry on your body will cause your HDL cholesterol levels to rise. Even losing as little as 6 pounds can cause your HDL cholesterol levels to go up by one point.
Commit to Being Active
An active lifestyle can help improve your overall cholesterol levels. The National Cholesterol Education Program, a section of the National Institutes of Health, reports that committing to a regular exercise routine will cause your HDL cholesterol levels to go up and it will also reduce your LDL cholesterol levels.
Commit to a fitness routine at least 5 days per week, but try to get in at least 30 minutes of physical activity every day. Start off small, and talk to your doctor about what you expect to achieve and any risks that you may have at your current fitness level.
