A women whose body's high-density lipoprotein, or HDL, content is less than 50 mg/dL, or a man whose reading is less than 40 mg/dL, may be advised to increase their cholesterol. That's because HDL is good cholesterol that travels through the bloodstream, taking away the excess cholesterol buildup that can lead to blockages and cardiovascular problems. Too-low levels of HDL are just as problematic as too-high levels of other forms of cholesterol. Fortunately, there are several ways to bring good cholesterol up.
Step 1
If you stop smoking, you could see a 10 percent increase in your HDL. Even better, your HDL will do its job better, since some of the chemicals in cigarette smoke alter HDL in a way that makes it less beneficial.
Step 2
Maintaining a healthy weight can increase your HDL. If you're overweight, you can pick up a 1 mg/dL increase for every 6 pounds you lose, according to the Mayo Clinic.
Step 3
Make time for five 30-minute workouts every week. Switching from a sedentary lifestyle to a more active one can improve your HDL numbers by 5 percent if you keep it up for two months.
Step 4
Eat the right fats. You don't have to cut fat out of your diet to improve HDL---in fact, not getting enough good fats will actually lower your HDL. Choose polyunsaturated fats, found in olive oil, nuts and canola oil, rather than saturated fats in fried foods and baked goods.
Step 5
Have a drink. Choose your poison---whether you opt for a glass of wine, a beer or a gin and tonic, you'll see an increase in HDL with moderate alcohol consumption. Limit it to one glass per day, though.
Step 6
Bypass refined carbohydrates, the kind you find in purchased white bread, sugary foods like breakfast cereal and other processed foods. Too many refined carbohydrates in your diet can lead to a reduction in HDL.
Tips and Warnings
- Because estrogen increases HDL, women generally have a higher HDL count than men. In many cases, this also translates to a higher total cholesterol number, which is one reason it's important to look at each element of your cholesterol number individually.
- If you've had liver or alcohol problems in the past or if you have a very high triglyceride number, alcohol can do more harm than good. If you are in this situation, skip a daily drink. Always check with your doctor before you begin any program to lose weight.
