Cholesterol is an important indicator of the health of your body. Hypercholesterolemia is the name given when your blood cholesterol levels are higher than normal, which can lead to clogged arteries and other forms of heart disease. HDL cholesterol is one type of cholesterol that is screened for during a cholesterol test. Although high levels of blood cholesterol are not desirable, you do want to have high levels of HDL cholesterol.
HDL Cholesterol
HDL stands for "high-density lipoprotein." According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, lipoproteins transport cholesterol and triglyceride molecules through your bloodstream. HDL transports cholesterol in your blood to be excreted by your body and is therefore a healthy and desirable form of lipoprotein. The higher your HDL levels, the lower your risk for heart disease.
Cholesterol Test
A blood cholesterol test will test four main parameters: HDL, LDL, triglycerides and total cholesterol. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention states that the ideal numbers during a cholesterol test are less than 150 mg/dL of triglycerides, less than 100 mg/dL of LDL and less than 200 mg/dL of total cholesterol. HDL is the only component of cholesterol testing for which a higher number is desirable. An ideal HDL level is 40 mg/dL or higher. If you have higher levels of LDL, triglycerides and total cholesterol, your risk for heart disease increases.
How To Raise HDL Cholesterol
Your cholesterol levels are linked to your lifestyle habits like diet and exercise and your body weight. You should avoid foods that are high in saturated and trans fat because they increase cholesterol production in your body and raise LDL. To maintain a healthy ratio between your HDL and LDL levels, you should choose healthier fats like unsaturated fats from nuts, fish and vegetable oils. This can improve your cholesterol levels and may provide health benefits like a decreased risk of heart disease from the omega-3 fatty acids found in fish and nuts. In addition you should increase your physical exercise, which may also improve your body weight, both of which will improve your health and cholesterol levels. MayoClinic.com states that frequent aerobic exercise can increase HDL cholesterol by about 5 percent, and losing even a few pounds can impact your HDL levels. Other lifestyle factors include avoiding excess alcohol consumption and quitting smoking if you currently smoke. These two habits combined with a healthy diet and adequate exercise can significantly affect your HDL levels.
Considerations
Hypercholesterolemia does not usually have symptoms, so you may not know that you have high cholesterol unless you have had a cholesterol test. Your doctor can check your levels and work with you to help control your levels. Medication is sometimes used to keep your levels under control, but diet and exercise have been shown to help prevent and treat high cholesterol without the use of medication.
References
- MedlinePlus: Cholesterol
- MedlinePlus: Dietary Fats
- The Harvard School of Public Health: Fats and Cholesterol
- The University of Maryland Medical Center: Cholesterol
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: About High Blood Cholesterol
- MayoClinic.Com HDL cholesterol: How To Boost Your 'Good' Cholesterol
