Cholesterol can be confusing. Although you take all the right steps to lower your low-density lipoprotein, or LDL, the bad cholesterol, you also need to increase your high-density lipropotein, or HDL, the good cholesterol. When both of these cholesterol types are within healthy ranges, your chances of developing heart disease are low.
Significance
Lifestyle and dietary changes, along with cholesterol-lowering medications decrease the amount of LDL in your blood, preventing it from building up in the walls of your arteries. However, HDL cholesterol plays an important role in keeping your bad cholesterol in check. It travels through your blood like a scavenger, picking up excess amounts of LDL, transporting it from your body. There must be enough HDL for this to happen. Unlike your LDL, which should be 129 mg/dL or lower to reduce your risk for heart disease, HDL needs to be high -- 60 mg/dL or more, according to the American Heart Association.
The Lipid Profile
Treatment of low HDL cholesterol is important if you want a lower risk of heart disease. The only way to detect your levels of this cholesterol type, and all others, is a lipid profile. This is a blood test your doctor must order for you. Fasting is a requirement for a complete profile, however, when testing for HDL only, fasting may not be necessary. Should your results show a low HDL levels, you have a number of treatment options.
Dietary Changes
Twenty-five to 35 percent of your daily calories should come from fats, 7 percent being saturated fats. These are unhealthy and have a negative impact on your HDL cholesterol. The primary source of saturated fats are animal products since animals produce cholesterol just as humans do. Red meat contains a large amount of fat, as do pork, lamb and organ meat. Reduce or eliminate these products from your diet. Replace them with skinless, white-meat poultry. Fish is a healthier alternative than both red meat and poultry, containing less saturated fat and cholesterol than both. The best choices are salmon, albacore tuna, halibut, herring and mackerel. All are fatty fish, however the unsaturated fat they contain is healthy; these fats protects against heart disease and increase your HDL cholesterol. Non-fat dairy and egg substitutes are acceptable exchanges as well.
The remaining fat in your diet should come from mono- or poly unsaturated fats such as olives, avocados, nuts, seeds and oils such as olive, canola and peanut.
Lifestyle Changes
Smoking is a major lifestyle change that can make a tremendous difference in your HDL cholesterol. Quitting can increase HDL by as much as 10 percent, explains Mayo Clinic.com. Use smoking cessation products, or ask your doctor for prescription medication.
Losing weight is another change that makes a big difference. A loss of 6 lbs. can increase your good cholesterol by 1 mg/dL. Try making small changes each week, or incorporate the help of a registered dietitian who can guide and support you along the way.
Exercising regularly is a healthy habit for everyone to have, but is particularly important when trying to improve your cholesterol. Thirty minutes a day of aerobic activity such as walking can increase your good cholesterol as much as 5 percent within two months as long as you stick with it. If walking isn't your thing, try dancing around your house or riding your bike through the park.
