Good Cholesterol | Cholesterol Levels

Increase Your Good Cholesterol Levels.

Firstly it is important to look at your diet. Many peoples diets consist of around 70% carbohydrates and 30% saturated fats, this is well above the recommended 10% that heart specialists say we should limit our intake of saturated fats and trans fats to. Saturated fats are found in many foods but are found in especially high percentages in meats, poultry, and dairy products such as butter, whole milk, cheese and ice cream. Trans fats are still added to many off the shelf foods such as donuts, cup cakes, cookies and other such confectionery products. Deep fried foods also have a high percentage of saturated fats due to the way they are cooked.

To increase your good cholesterol levels you need to substitute saturated fats for good fats such as polyunsaturated and mono-unsaturated fats. These “good” fats are to be found in vegetable oils. Olive oil and canola are two very healthy oils that can be used for cooking or frying food. Nuts contain the good fats the body needs to help raise the levels of good cholesterol in the blood stream.

To further increase the levels of good cholesterol in your body try reducing your daily intake of carbohydrate by introducing foods containing lean proteins. Try to also include as many foods with a high fibre content and nutrient dense carbohydrates, particularly those found in fresh fruits and vegetables. Try to substitute snacks that contain trans fatty acids with fruits and whole grains as this will have the effect of raising your HDL (good cholesterol) levels.

There are many foods you can eat and methods you can employ to raise your HDL levels (good cholesterol). Some foods that you should try to include in your diet are: More soy derived products. To increase the levels of good or HDL cholesterol in your body try to substitute dairy milk with soy milk when the opportunity arises, you may also enjoy tofu as a meat substitute.

You may also want to try to include more beans in your diet and whole grain bread as these have a positive effect on the HDL cholesterol in the body. Try to limit your intake of fried foods, particularly deep fried. Lean more towards foods that have been baked or grilled rather than fried and make the transition from butter to margarine.

Aerobic exercise is a good way to lower the levels of bad cholesterol in your body so try to exercise for at least 30 minutes a day every two days and gradually build up as you get fitter.

High cholesterol is a simple dietary condition and as such can be controlled or eliminated by a change in diet and, or lifestyle.

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