Raising Good Cholesterol Levels

Q: My doctor told me that the HDL cholesterol in my blood is low. He said that exercising and eating certain foods can bring it up and help me to lose weight. What do you suggest I do to raise my good cholesterol levels?

A: Although most people talk about lowering their high cholesterol levels, they are usually referring to the type of bad cholesterol known as LDLs (low-density lipoproteins), rather than HDLs.

The good cholesterol, or HDLs (high-density lipoproteins), should not get too low since these particles help sweep away excess fat in the blood. This helps prevent the fat from oxidizing and building up on the walls of your blood vessels.

An HDL number that is less than 40 mg/dL is considered to be a major risk factor for heart disease. Between 40 and 59 mg/dL is recommended. Over 60 mg/dL is good news since your risk of heart disease is significantly lowered.

Both genetics and your lifestyle play a role in your cholesterol levels. Some people may be naturally predisposed to higher or lower HDLs. These people may also have a harder time increasing a low number, for example, by diet and exercise alone. And so a doctor may prescribe medication such as fibrates or niacin. Certain lifestyle habits may push a low number further down. Smoking, taking steroids, eating foods with trans fats, being obese and inactive can all result in lower HDLs. (Taking contraceptive pills high in progesterone can also push your HDL levels downward.)

So how can you improve your HDLs? Most diet research has focused on LDLs. Foods such as plant sterols (found in some margarines such as Benecol) as well as fruits, vegetables, unsaturated fats, dried beans and other foods high in soluble fiber have all been shown to be effective in lowering the bad type of cholesterol.

But the following healthy habits can boost your HDL numbers:

• Lose excess body fat

Losing weight if you have a body mass index above 25 can help control high cholesterol, especially LDLs. But weight loss from dieting alone can cause the desirable HDLs to drop along with the LDLs. By performing regular aerobic exercise when you diet you can help  stem this lowering effect.

• Avoid trans fats

It may be harder to improve your good cholesterol levels with food. But high intakes of trans fats, found in processed foods made with hydrogenated oils, have been found to lower HDLs. So, cutting out fast foods and processed foods that contain these fats is wise.

• Go for good fats and plenty of plant foods

Eating more foods high in unsaturated fats such as olive oil and nuts, as well as more fruits, veggies, beans and whole grains may be beneficial, too. One 2004 study in Diabetes Care found that men and women with Type 2 diabetes who included 30 grams of walnuts a day in their diet had improved HDL levels.

• Exercise on most days of the week

Exercise has a powerful, albeit short-lived effect. Each workout may result in a subtle HDL boost, so that’s why it needs to be done on a consistent basis. Regular exercisers tend to have higher HDLs.

• Burn an extra 800 to 2200 calories per week with cardio

Research shows that HDL may be elevated by as much as 20 percent from regular aerobic exercise that expends at least 800 to 1,200 calories per week. Walking at three miles per hour, for example, will use around 300 calories. So a person needs to walk around eight to 12 miles a week, or do some equivalent aerobic activity for at least 30 minutes on six or more days per week. Inactive people may need to do slightly more, burning from 1,500 to 2,200 calories per week through aerobic workouts like walking, swimming, cycling or aerobics. (But any beginner should always start slow and gradually work up to higher intensity and longer workouts.)

For more information read Action Plan for High Cholesterol, by Larry Durstine, Ph.D., and my past column "Good Cholesterol, Bad Cholesterol."

Find More on MSN Health & Fitness:

• Talk About It: What Yummy Foods Boost 'Good' Cholesterol?
• Best Ways to Bump Up Your 'Good' Cholesterol
• Walnuts Even Better For the Heart Than Olive Oil
• Is It Possible to Lower Your Cholesterol 120 Points in Three Months?
• The Cholesterol Connection
• Does Coffee Raise Cholesterol?
• MSN Health Centers: Cholesterol

Find all articles by Martica.

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Martica is a Manhattan-based exercise physiologist and nutritionist and an award-winning fitness instructor. She has written for a variety of publications including Self , Health , Prevention , The New York Times and others. Martica is the author of seven books, including her latest, - Cross-Training for Dummies . (Read her full bio.)