Raising Good Cholesterol With Healthy Foods

Raising good cholesterol refers to the boosting of high-density lipoprotein or HDL, which is the blood lipid or fat that is often called "good" cholesterol.  We all love delicious tasting foods that's heart-healthy and not difficulty to prepare.  In return these foods should protect you against atherogenesis, which is the formation of plaque in the artery walls.

Foods should be thoroughly enjoyed.  You should eat a variety of meats, fish and seafood and dairy products.  That also means including plenty of fruits, vegetables, grains and cereals and beans and nuts.  These foods are loaded with nutrients, fiber, antioxidants that's more complete than you can get from any bottle of supplement and great for raising your HDL levels.

Good cholesterol also promotes the removal of cholesterol from cells found in lesions or plaques in your arteries.

Below is a look at some of the diet and lifestyle changes that you can make in order to assist you in raising good cholesterol levels, while lowering your high blood pressure high cholesterol.

Orange Juice

Drink 3 cups of  freshly squeezed orange juice daily to increase your HDL levels by 21% in about three weeks. 

Remember that while the 330 calories you receive may seem like a big nutritional commitment, oranges along with other fruits and vegetables are recognized for their high-antioxidant properties.

Glycemic Load

The glycemic load is a basis ranking of how much a standard serving of a specific food will raise your blood sugar levels.  As the glycemic load in your diet rises, the levels of HDL cholesterol go down.

Dietary experts recommend that you derive most of your carbohydrate intake from fruits, vegetables, whole grains, fat-free and low-fat dairy products, all of which tend to be on the lower end of the glycemic scale.

Eating Healthier Fats Is Raising Good Cholesterol Levels

Replace saturated fats in your diet with monounsaturated fats that will not only assist you in reducing your bad cholesterol levels, but will also increase your good cholesterol.

Soy

When substituted for animal-based products, soy foods may provide you with benefits for heart health.  Low in saturated fats, soy products are also high in unsaturated fats and fiber.

Soy protein, in addition to the isoflavones contained in soy, is able to raise HDL levels by 3%, thereby reducing the risk of coronary heart disease by 5%.

Consumption of soy may also lead to a slight reduction in LDL cholesterol levels and triglycerides, as well as possibly enhance function in blood vessels.

Moderate Alcohol Intake

Drink your alcohol in moderation if you want to enjoy higher levels of HDL cholesterol.  There is scientific proof that drinking in moderation is actually good for most people.

Data from around the world have stated that both men and women of various age, groups, and people of many ethnic groups have lived longer.  They have less risk of developing heart disease than those who abstain from alcohol.

Alcohol has been linked to a lower risk of the occurrence of cardiovascular disease in both women and men.

Aerobic Exercise

Today sedentary lifestyle is recognized as a major heart disease risk factor.

A good way in raising good cholesterol levels is by engaging in moderate to intense exercise for a minimum of thirty minutes on most days of the week.  The benefits of exercising has been documented to affect every heart disease risk factor significantly. 

You cannot miss out on how exercising lowers LDL, total cholesterol, and triglycerides, normalizes blood pressure, helps you to maintain a healthy weight and so much more.

Quit Smoking

Experts agree that quitting your smoking habit is a great way in raising good cholesterol numbers.

Smoking raises the level of carbon monoxide in your blood, reducing the amount of life giving oxygen, injuring the lining of your blood vessels. This in turn constricts your arteries, raises your risk of high blood pressure, increasing your risk of sudden cardiac death, and also your risk of certain types of cancer.

In summary, cigarette smoking doubles your risk of heart attack, regardless of your cholesterol numbers.  But as soon as you stop smoking your body benefits.  Keep your body free of tobacco smoke.

Losing Weight

You may want to lose weight to fit into your clothes, look better.  But by reaching your healthy weight is all about you being healthy.  Studies have shown that having excess pounds leads to a higher risk of all types of illnesses.

Being just 20% over your healthy weight raises your total cholesterol.  When you are over-weight or obese, your body condition will contribute to low levels of HDL cholesterol.

It is important to note that good cholesterol does not refer to the cholesterol that we eat in our food, but rather to the high-density lipoprotein cholesterol that circulates within your blood.  This is one of the fats that doctors measure when performing the lipid panel blood test; and it is the component that you want more of.

As higher HDL levels means a reduced risk of heart disease.

Return From Raising Good Cholesterol To High Blood Pressure High Cholesterol

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