When your total cholesterol levels are high, your risk of developing diseases such as heart disease increases. But some cholesterol is advantageous. You want to raise your HDL, or good cholesterol, which helps remove LDL, or bad cholesterol, from your blood before it gets a chance to adhere to the walls of your arteries. Understanding what raises your HDL cholesterol and lowers your bad cholesterol will help you make changes to your lifestyle and diet that will lead to the overall cholesterol levels you need. According to Mayo Clinic.com, you want to keep your HDL cholesterol above 60 mg and your LDL cholesterol between 100 and 129 mg.
Lower Bad Cholesterol
Step 1
Fit 30 to 45 minutes of physical activity into your weekly routine. Engaging in regular exercise can help reduce your LDL.
Step 2
Reduce your weight by at least 10 percent. Cut down on the amount of calories you consume eat day. Remove nutritionally deficient calories from your diet.
Step 3
Avoid exposure to cigarette smoke. Stop smoking cigarettes. Cigarette smoke raises your LDL cholesterol levels.
Step 4
Remove trans fats from your diet. Read product labels to determine if foods contain trans fat ingredients, also called hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated oil. Trans fats, even in small amounts, can increase your LDL cholesterol.
Step 5
Consume plant stanols and sterols daily. CNN Health reports that by adding 2 g of plant stanols or sterols to your diet every day you can block the absorption or some cholesterol into your bloodstream, which will result in lower bad cholesterol levels. Choose foods such as nuts, seeds and some types of orange juice.
Step 6
Limit your saturated fat intake to less than 7 percent of your daily calories, reports the American Heart Association. Replace foods high in saturated fat, such as red meat, processed meats and whole milk, with foods that contain healthy unsaturated fats, such as nuts, fatty fish and peanut butter.
Raise Good Cholesterol
Step 1
Increase your physical activity. Being sedentary will keep your good cholesterol levels low. Fit at least 30 minutes of physical activity into your daily routine for at least five days out of each week to raise HDL.
Step 2
Avoid eating foods that contain trans fats. Including even small amounts of trans fats in your diet will contribute to lower levels of good cholesterol. Limit your intake of foods that commonly contain trans fats such as fast food and processed baked goods and crackers.
Step 3
Consume healthy monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats. Canola and olive oil have a beneficial effect on HDL. Nuts and fish contain healthy omega-3 fatty acids, which also boost your good cholesterol.
Step 4
Stop smoking and avoid regular exposure to cigarette smoke. Cigarette smoking has considerable negative effects on your overall health, but it also contributes to lower levels of good cholesterol.
Step 5
Lose 5 to 10 percent of your extra body weight. Being overweight can lower your good cholesterol levels. Consume fewer calories throughout the day. Eat fewer high-calorie foods such as sweets and processed meats. Choose filling, low-calorie foods such as vegetables, fruits and beans.
