Content

• Steps
• Advice
• Warning

HDL, or high-density lipoprotein, has long been thought to affect cardiovascular health. HDL, commonly known as "good" cholesterol, functions like a shuttle that carries cholesterol from the blood (where cholesterol can block and lead to heart disease or atherosclerosis) to the liver. Naturally you would think that a higher HDL concentration reduces your risk of cardiovascular disease. However, scientific research is gradually showing that HDL is much more complex and there are many other factors involved in the development of atherosclerosis. Although HDL has an important function of removing cholesterol from the body, if you only increase your HDL levels, you will "not" reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease. If you want to reduce your risk of heart disease, you need to focus on healthy diet and exercise instead of increasing HDL levels.

Steps

Part 1 of 2: Proper understanding of HDL

1. 

   
   
   Realize that HDL is not cholesterol. Contrary to popular belief, HDL is not a type of cholesterol, but a carrier of cholesterol. There is only one type of cholesterol and it is necessary for the body because it needs cholesterol to build cell membranes and certain hormones. However, blood insoluble (hydrophobic) cholesterol should be carried by protein-based carriers. Essentially, HDL is a de-choleterol because it carries excess "free" cholesterol in the bloodstream to the liver for recycling, processing and / or excretion / HDL is the smallest of the three lipoproteins (including LDL. and VLDL) and carry the least amount of cholesterol.
   • HDL is called a "good" lipoprotein because it helps reduce the buildup of cholesterol in the arteries leading to atherosclerosis.

2. 

   
   
   Understand the new findings. It is thought that increasing HDL levels will help reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. However, scientists show that this thinking is not correct because the new information has found that we need to pay attention to how HDL performs. function its instead of paying attention to the amount of HDL in the body.
   • Scientists believe that HDL's cholesterol-eliminating function is really important for heart health.
   • It is still not clear whether cholesterol elimination is dependent on sex, race, obesity, insulin sensitivity or resistance, and inflammation.

3. 

   
   
   Remember that HDL is made by the body. Like all cholesterol-carrying liporproteins, HDL is made by the body (the liver) and is not present in food. The amount of HDL produced is determined by the gene and is related to the need for cell regeneration, but the concentration of all lipoproteins depends on diet and exercise. On the other hand, cholesterol is not only found in foods (especially from animals such as meat, poultry, eggs, dairy products, butter) but is also produced by the liver and small intestinal wall (to a lesser extent). much)..
   • The liver removes cholesterol from the body by secreting choleterol with bile (bile is excreted in the feces). This cholesterol regulation affects lipoproteins, including HDL.

4. 

   Understand that HDL works in tandem with LDL. Low-density lipoprotein, or LDL, is called "bad" cholesterol, but it's actually just cholesterol transporter from the liver to the cells, including the damaged artery membranes. The problem is when cholesterol in the artery wall builds up too much because it attracts macrophages and stimulates plaque formation - a typical sign of atherosclerosis or a blocked artery. HDL always works in parallel with LDL and tries to balance the amount of cholesterol needed to regenerate cracks and fissures in the arteries instead of limiting the buildup.
   • Physiologically speaking, there is no such thing as "good" or "bad" cholesterol, although some lipoproteins are considered healthier than others.
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Part 2 of 2: Increasing HDL levels through a healthy lifestyle

1. 

   Exercise to lose weight if you are overweight. Carrying extra extra weight will affect HDL levels. In fact, if you are overweight, losing a few kilograms of weight will also improve your cholesterol levels (1 mg / dL HDL increases for every 3 kg loss). You should focus on reducing your daily calorie intake and exercising regularly. Just 30 minutes of walking a day also helps to lose weight steadily and safely.
   • If your BMI is higher than 30, you need to lose weight to not only improve HDL cholesterol but also overall health.
   • Long-term exercise programs and a combination of activities such as aerobic and resistance training will provide the best results in increasing HDL cholesterol levels.
   • For 2 months, daily aerobic exercise can increase HDL levels by up to 5% in healthy adults. You can start doing exercises like walking, running, biking or swimming for 30 minutes, at least 5 times per week.

2. 

   Quit smoking. Besides being linked to many diseases, including lung cancer, smoking also negatively affects cholesterol and LDL / HDL ratio. In essence, smoking lowers HDL levels (an average decrease of 5.0 mg / dL) and increases total cholesterol in the blood. Secondhand smoke also lowers HDL levels. The toxins in cigarette smoke damage the inside of blood vessels and stimulate cholesterol buildup to regenerate the damage. As a result, plaque builds up and the rate of LDL cholesterol increases. Research demonstrates that quitting smoking has a direct effect on increasing HDL levels, up to 10% in some cases. Talk to your doctor about safe ways to quit smoking, such as nicotine patches or candies.
   • Smoking damages every organ in the body and causes cardiovascular problems, contributing to premature death.
   • Experts estimate that smoking increases the risk of coronary heart disease and stroke by up to 4 times compared with non-smokers.

3. 

   Drink alcohol in moderation. It is best not to drink alcohol because ehtanol is very toxic to the body and a carcinogen. Despite having blood thinning properties, ethanol essentially has negative effects on health. On the other hand, drinking some alcohol in moderation (no more than one drink per day) can help increase HDL levels. More specifically, drinking red wine is believed to have heart health benefits since it is rich in antioxidants that help prevent blood vessel damage. As a result, the body needs less cholesterol to "support" the regeneration of artery damage, thereby increasing the production of HDL from the liver to carry cholesterol out of the blood.
   • If you are not currently drinking, you should not start drinking to increase your HDL levels. There are other ways to increase HDL levels while still being healthy.
   • The antioxidants in red wine are not related to alcohol, so drinking fresh grape juice or eating fresh grapes can have heart health benefits.

4. 

   Choose healthy fats. A healthy diet should always include some fat (about 25-35% of total calories per day should be from fatty acids). However, you should limit your intake of saturated fat (from animals) to no more than 7% of total calories per day, as saturated fat contains cholesterol. Instead, focus on a high-fat plant-based diet. For example, choose plenty of monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, and the omega-3 fats found in fish and flaxseeds. Avoid trans fats as they damage blood vessels and negatively impact cholesterol levels. Remember that eating cholesterol-rich foods does not affect blood cholesterol levels as much as the liver is the regulator.
   • Good sources of monounsaturated fats include olives, peanuts, sesame and canola oils, most nuts and avocados.
   • Good food sources of polyunsaturated fats include soybean and sunflower oils, walnuts, tofu, and fatty fish like salmon and mackerel.
   • Trans fats (hydrogenated fats) are found in processed foods like crackers, fried foods, and margarine.

5. 

   Eat plenty of dark colored fruits and vegetables. All fresh produce offers health benefits, but dark red and purple produce will help increase HDL levels and lower LDL levels. As noted above, grapes and other dark fruits are rich in antioxidants, particularly multicolored fusion known as anthocyanins. Research shows that consuming anthocyanins (in whole fruits or supplements) can help increase HDL levels by up to 14% and lower LDL levels. Food sources of anthocyanin include plums, red and purple grapes, red raspberries, blackberries, purple cabbage, and eggplants.
   • Eating plenty of fruits and vegetables also increases fiber intake, which has been shown to help control cholesterol levels in the blood.

6. 

   Talk to your doctor about medication. Although Statin is relatively effective in lowering total blood cholesterol, it does not have much effect on HDL levels (increase no more than 5-10%). However, other drugs such as high dose Niacin and Fibrate can significantly increase HDL levels. High dose niacin (Niaspan, Niacor) is often considered the most effective drug for increasing HDL levels (although the mechanism of action is unclear). Niacin, also known as vitamin B3, is a powerful vasodilator (which dilates the arteries and lowers blood pressure) and some claim that it can increase HDL levels by more than 30 percent in some cases. Niacin should start with a low dose. Niacin can cause a blush that makes you uncomfortable.
   • Keep in mind that while it can help increase HDL levels, medications are not Helps promote heart health.
   • Many over-the-counter Niacin drugs are available over-the-counter, but prescription drugs are preferred because they cause less side effects (usually just red skin if taken in high doses).
   • Fibrate drugs include Fenofibrate (Lofibra, Tricor) and Gemfibrozil (Lopid).
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Advice

• It is very important to exercise to lose weight if you are in an 'apple' body because the fat accumulating around the hips reduces HDL levels.
• Reduce your consumption of added sugar. Research shows that the more calories you consume from added sugar, the lower the HDl levels. Therefore, you should avoid sweets, creams, and baked goods.
• Some studies show that eating 50 grams of dark chocolate per day can help increase the antioxidant capacity of HDL cholesterol.

Warning

• Consult with your doctor before starting any exercise program.