Getting To Know Your Health Guardian, HDL Cholesterol
Cholesterol is a vital element for tissue growth, repair and hence the health of your body. Cholesterol comes in a variety of combinations. For the sake of simplicity, we’ll get to know the basics of the two which are critical for our health. These are HDL cholesterol and LDL cholesterol. HDL stands for “high density lipoprotein” and LDL stands for “low density lipoprotein”. The HDL cholesterol combination is good for the body, whereas the LDL cholesterol has a negative effect on our health. The body has its own mechanism to regulate the quantities of these two cholesterol combinations for optimum health. The balance of these two types of cholesterol is vital for our health, and directly affects our chances of suffering from heart disease.
In layman terms, the HDL cholesterol sweeps away the unhealthy LDL cholesterol. Hence we should strive to keep up the level of HDL cholesterol to maintain our health.
Pharmacological researchers are busy formulating medications to raise the level of HDL to combat heart disease. These medications apart, there are a number of alternative techniques which do pretty much the same thing in a more natural manner. Cardiovascular exercise is a form of exercise which concentrates on improving the blood circulation, which is vital to maintaining a healthy cholesterol balance. So if you already have heart disease or simply want to avoid getting it, cardiovascular exercise is a powerful way to attain the desired cholesterol balance.
Cardiovascular exercise must be done regularly for it to be effective. The American Heart Association’s recommendation is very simple: just put in 30 minutes of cardiovascular exercise every day. You can even do it in stages. There is another opinion, led by Dr. Mercola, who says that one hour of cardiovascular exercise is necessary and that too at one go.
Most people think that dietary control means limiting the amount of food you have. Not so. The amount is secondary; the kind of food is primary. Include more of mono-unsaturated fats in the food you have, both as food items and in the form of a cooking medium. Omega-3 fats (found in fish) and virgin olive oil are good for health. Be wary of genetically modified unsaturated fats. Do not have or use saturated fats at all.
New research has revealed the beneficial effect of omega-3 fats on HDL cholesterol. Fish are rich in omega-3 fats, notably salmon and tuna. You may also get your regular supply of omega-3 fats from formulated supplements. Margarine is bad for your HDL cholesterol, as are processed foods, and ones that are sugary and creamy. Regular cardiovascular exercise and dietary control will help your HDL cholesterol to regain the upper hand over LDL cholesterol.
What else can you do to improve your HDL cholesterol level? You can change the bad habits that are part of modern life. Cigarette smoking destroys the HDL cholesterol in the blood. Stop smoking to prevent this destruction of beneficial HDL cholesterol. Obesity increases the level of bad HDL cholesterol. Regular workouts can reduce obesity and improve the cholesterol balance.
Last but not least, there is one more lifestyle factor that affects your cholesterol balance. This factor is stress, aka tension. So learn to manage stress in your life. If the stress is bound to the work environment consider changing your occupation. If it’s the neighborhood that stresses you out, consider moving. Changing your occupation or your residence is a very big ask, no doubt, but you should consider it seriously for the sake of your health.
Your primer for healthy HDL cholesterol levels reads like this: A is for cardiovascular exercise, B is for dietary control, and C is for modifying your lifestyle. With healthy HDL cholesterol coursing through your body you can count on a healthy life free of heart disease.
