Lower Your Cholesterol

Why Improving Your Cholesterol HDL Ratio Is RecommendedThere are quite a few studies pointing to the fact that HDL cholesterol (which is the good cholesterol), when maintained high levels, protects us from heart disease. The same effect is possible from lowering the LDL cholesterol (bad cholesterol) but to a much lesser measure. So we need to keep an eye on our LDL to HDL cholesterol ratio.

A rather disturbing and recently found result from recent studies is that low HDL cholesterol levels would be indicative of a high risk of heart disease. In other words even if the total cholesterol and the LDL levels are normal, if the HDL cholesterol is low, then the risk of heart attack stays high. This indicates that somehow the HDL cholesterol is able to protect the heart from disease. So it's the HDL Cholesterol ratio to LDL that is most important. Studies are now being carried out to find learn what the main ingredients are in HDL cholesterol that protect the heart from harm.

Properties Of HDL Cholesterol

Some preliminary studies have been conducted which show that HDL cholesterol contains a very complex molecule made of protein, lipids, and cholesterol. This molecule’s role seems to be to “clean” the walls of the arteries, thus removing the bad cholesterol from it and depositing it within the liver for cleansing. The HDL cholesterol here is performing the role as the ‘cleaner’.

Nowadays doctors whose patients have low HDL cholesterol are recommending that they try to increase it immediately and the treatment prescribed will be aimed at this goal. This means that even if the person has been found to have normal levels of cholesterol in the blood, but reduced good cholesterol, efforts are made to increase it and to get it to above the normal levels, thus changing the cholesterol's HDL ratio.

Methods to Increase Good Cholesterol

Lose Weight – it is now well known that obesity is one of the leading causes of heart attack. Loosing weight not only results in increased HDL cholesterol and decreased LDL cholesterol (i.e. a change in the ratio between them) but also in good overall health.

Exercise Regularly – it has been proved time and again that aerobic exercise can increase the levels of the good cholesterol in the body.

Cut out Smoking and Reduce Consumption of Alcohol – smoking and drinking can aggravate heart disease and cause heart attacks.

Improve Your Diet - add plenty of fiber to your diet such as that found in oats, legumes, fruits, etc which should be consumed on a daily basis for increasing the good HDL cholesterol ratio.

Choelsterol HDL ratio to LDL is very important to your overall health and both should be looked at in conjunction with each other. Attending to one without the other won't be as effective to your health as working to improve the levels of both.