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What is HDL Cholesterol?HDL Cholesterol
The difference between “good” cholesterol, known as HDL cholesterol, and “bad” or LDL cholesterol can be a bit confusing at times. Previously, medical authorities simply advised avoiding all cholesterol in order to prevent certain types of cardiovascular ailments. However, with improved research it was shown that HDL cholesterol actually helps in keeping the blood vessels free of “plaque.”
What is cholesterol?
Cholesterol is a type of lipoprotein – a substance that combines both protein and lipids (fats). The body actually needs cholesterol to function normally. In some cases, people with very low cholesterol can also experience health problems as this lipoprotein is needed for healthy cell membranes.
However, in modern society low cholesterol rarely occurs from improper dietary intake, but instead the problem usually stems from body’s inability to produce cholesterol.
High cholesterol is a much more common cause of health problems because of the tendency, especially in developed countries, to overeat and to make poor diet choices.
How do LDL and HDL cholesterol differ?
HDL stands for “high density lipoprotein,” while LDL is “low density lipoprotein. The density of the lipoprotein determines whether cholesterol is “good” or “bad” according to medical research.
What the studies show is that most people need about 30 percent HDL cholesterol to maintain proper cardiovascular health. According to the medical hypothesis, the high density lipids possess properties that allow them to “clean out” bad cholesterol from the arteries. The excess cholesterol is handled by the liver, which either removes it from the body or reuses it depending on the body’s current needs.
HDL cholesterol also possesses other properties that help prevent or ameliorate atherosclerosis, stroke and heart disease including protecting against oxidation, inflammation, and excessive coagulation.
How to maintain healthy HDL cholesterol levels
Cholesterol checks are commonly given with routine physicals and can determine your ratio of “good” vs. “bad” cholesterol. If you find that your HDL level is too low, there are a number of ways you can improve the ratios over time.
For many people, especially those already suffering from cardiovascular problems, serious lifestyle changes must be implemented to reverse bad cholesterol levels. However, you should not expect overnight results.
Diet is, of course, an extremely important factor. If you are overweight, one of the best approaches is simply to lose weight as studies have shown that this increases HDL levels and decreases LDL levels.
Avoid foods that contain trans fats as these contribute quite seriously in lowering HDL and increasing LDL. You can identify trans fats on ingredients labels by looking for any vegetable oil that is “partially hydrogenated.” Instead of trans fats, eat foods that are high in omega-3 fatty acids like fish and seafood, and also use monosaturated fats like canola and olive oil. Soluble fiber as found in foods like oats, fruits and vegetables should be taken daily in generous amounts.
The diet should avoid excessive consumption of saturated fats, so moderate your intake of meat. In fact, you should moderate your overall consumption of all fats to make up about 30 to 35 percent of the total calories in your diet. However, you should avoid extreme low fat diets, as some studies have shown that this can actually lead to decreased levels of HDL cholesterol.
Exercise and physical activity is also very important in maintaining healthy HDL cholesterol levels. Most studies recommend aerobic exercise for at least 20 minutes, and at least a few times a week. The duration of the workout session appears to be more beneficial than the intensity of exercise, so try to make time for longer workouts.
Studies have shown that alcohol and smoking contribute to depressed HDL and high LDL levels. So try to reduce drinking as much as possible if you have bad cholesterol levels. You definitely should not drink more than one or two drinks per day, which can greatly increase the likelihood of health problems. Note that some studies indicate that a few drinks a day might actually improve HDL levels, but the American Heart Association does not recommend this as a method of correcting your cholesterol. By quitting smoking, and possibly also by reducing the amount of smoking, you can raise your HDL profile.
Drugs and HDL
If your HDL levels are particularly poor, you doctor may prescribe drugs to help improve the situation.
Statins,
fibrates and
niacin
are popularly used either to elevate HDL or to lower LDL levels.
HDL levels are one part in overall plan
Maintaining healthy HDL levels should be combined with other practices that maintain proper blood pressure, blood sugar, and overall good health in order to prevent cardiovascular disease. Fortunately, many of the methods used to raise HDL also help contribute to improvement in these other areas as well.
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