When talk turns to cholesterol levels, the discussion often centers on how to lower levels, not how to raise them. But high-density lipoprotein, the so-called "good" cholesterol, benefits your heart and blood vessels by removing plaque deposits from the interior walls of blood vessels and decreases your risk of heart disease. Raising your HDL levels by just 1 mg/dL decreases your risk of heart attack by 3 percent, according to cardiologist Roger Blumenthal of the Ciccarone Preventive Cardiology Center. Simple lifestyle changes can help raise HDL.
Smoking
One way to lower your HDL levels and also improve your heart health is to quit smoking. Just by quitting smoking, you can raise your HDL levels by 4 mg/dL, according to researchers from Johns Hopkins University. A Japanese study published in the 2000 "Journal of Atherosclerosis and Thrombosis" reported that smoking decreased HDL by 3.5 mg/dL for every 20 cigarettes smoked.
Exercise
Within two months after starting an exercise program, you may experience a rise in HDL of about 5 percent, according to MayoClinic.com. People who walked 6,000 steps per day as opposed to those who walked only 2,000 steps per day increased HDL by 3 mg/dL, researchers from the Kyorin University School of Medicine reported. High-density lipoprotein levels increased 10 mg/dL on average when people did cardiovascular exercise for at least 30 minutes three times a week.
Eating Habits
Changing your diet can also raise your HDL levels. Substituting foods high in unsaturated fats for foods high in saturated fats is one of the best moves you can make to improve your HDL levels. Saturated fats are the single most important contributor to elevated low-density lipoprotein, the so-called "bad" cholesterol, according to the American Heart Association. Foods high in unsaturated fats include fatty fish such as salmon, oils such as canola, soybean or olive oil, and nuts. Restricting carbohydrates with a high glycemic index, such as refined sugars and processed foods can also help raise HDL levels, according to researchers from Johns Hopkins University.
Moderate Alcohol Intake
Having one drink a day for women and two a day for men can raise your HDL levels by about 4 mg/dL, Johns Hopkins researchers state. The type of alcohol consumed does not make a difference. Drinking more than this can increase your risk of liver disease; people with alcoholic tendencies should not use this method of raising their HDL levels.
Weight Loss
Every 2.2 lbs. you lose if you're overweight raises HDL by 0.35 mg/dL, according to researchers from Johns Hopkins University. Maintaining a body mass index of 25 or less helps lower LDL and raise HDL levels.
