How to Increase Your HDL
Your HDL… Where more is better!
Cholesterol is a waxy substance that travels through your water based blood stream packaged into molecules called lipoproteins. Each lipoprotein acts differently based on the type of cholesterol it carries. Cholesterol is classified into HDL, or good cholesterol, and LDL, the bad cholesterol. But cholesterol isn’t good or bad necessarily but rather is a sign of genetics and lifestyle choices that affect it. Cholesterol is an essential fat and is needed for:
• The production of hormones, vitamin D and bile
• Helps with the absorption of fat soluble vitamins like A, E, D and K
• Makes up the cell wall and allows nutrients to pass in and out of the cell
• Improves brain function by helping brain cells communicate. 25% of your cholesterol is found in your brain
High density lipoprotein (HDL) essentially roams through the bloodstream and removes cholesterol in the bloodstream and delivers it back to the liver where it can be reused or excreted. HDL also prevents LDL from being damaged by oxygen which can cause the LDL to be more atherogenic, meaning more likely to cause a blockage in your artery. HDL can also decrease inflammation in the arteries and stimulate the release of nitric oxide which leads to the arteries relaxing, thus lowering blood pressure. Overall, it has been associated with a lower risk of heart disease and so has been termed “good cholesterol.” When people have a low HDL, they can’t benefit from all of the positive effects of HDL and so are at increased risk of having a stroke and/or heart attack.
So why do people have low HDL?
Genetics plays a significant role. (Yes, we are our parents). There is nothing we can do about the DNA we’ve been dealt; however, lifestyle choices are key in affecting one’s risk of having a stroke or heart attack. When I check a lipid panel on a younger person and they have an HDL less than 40, they almost always have a family history of early heart disease. My first step is to address any risk factors that can be modified and increasing their HDL levels naturally through lifestyle is a number one priority. Though we inherit our parents DNA, 70% of our genes can have a direct impact on our health and a healthy lifestyle increases the expression of genes that can help to prevent heart disease and even cancer .
Lifestyle
a. Smoking
b. Obesity
c. Sedentary lifestyle
d. Diet
e. Insulin Resistance/diabetes
Medications can also lower HDL
a. Beta blockers
b. Steroids
c. Supplemental testosterone
d. Benzodiazepines
Raising your HDL levels has been shown to decrease your risk of heart disease. But raising your HDL level alone isn’t enough. At least that’s what the drug companies have recently shown us. There was a medication called Torcetrapib that was designed to raise HDL, thinking this would decrease the risk of heart disease. In 2007, the Illuminate Study was done to look at Torcetrapib’s ability to raise HDL and prevent heart disease. However, despite raising HDL by 60%, Torcetrapib led to higher rates of high blood pressure and heart failure and so the study was stopped early. Whereas, numerous studies have shown us that lifestyle is still the number one way to increase your HDL and lower your risk of heart disease.
9 Ways to Raise Your HDL Through Lifestyle
1. Decrease Refined Carbs – After genetics, diet plays the biggest role affecting your HDL level. Surprisingly, the amount of cholesterol you eat typically has little to do with the amount of cholesterol in your blood. However the amount of refined carbs and sugar you eat can have a marked impact on your HDL levels. We refer to refined carbs and sugar as the “white” foods: rice, pasta, bread, sugar, crackers and other processed foods made with grains and sugar. And I am sorry to say that whole grain really isn’t much better. So decreasing grains and sugar in your diet by 70% can have a significant impact on your HDL levels.
2. Exercise – weight lifting, High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) and aerobic exercise have been shown to effectively increase HDL levels. However, the most effective type of exercise is HIIT. In a 12 week study – HIIT exercise resulted in a 10% increase in HDL levels as compared to low intensity exercise that only showed a 2% increase. Exercise also increases the anti-inflammatory abilities of HDL. However, any exercise is beneficial and even a 20-30″ walk daily can decrease your risk of heart disease. Our mantra is 30″ of movement every day!
3. Weight loss (if you are over weight) – losing 5-10% of your body weight can increase your HDL. In one study, losing 6.6 lbs led to an increase of HDL cholesterol of 4 mg/dl. This may not seem like a significant increase in an HDL level, however, weight loss affects more than just HDL and has been shown to decrease heart disease.
4. Quit smoking – smoking cessation has not only shown to increase HDL, it can also make the HDL more effective and decrease inflammation in the blood vessels that decreases your risk of heart disease.
5. Coconut Oil – ADD THIS TO YOUR DIET! – among its other incredible benefits, consuming even 2 Tbsp per day can increase your HDL. My trick…..I put 1 Tbsp of coconut oil in every cup of coffee.
6. Prediabetics or Diabetics – CONTROL YOUR BLOOD SUGARS THROUGH DIET – NOT JUST MORE INSULIN. High insulin levels result in lower HDL levels. Controlling your blood sugar levels through diet helps to decrease the complications associated with diabetes, not just heart disease.
7. Increase extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) intake – not only can olive oil increase your HDL levels, but it can also increase HDL’s anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects. Whenever possible, select high-quality, certified extra virgin olive oils, which tend to be highest in polyphenols. Read our blog on How To Pick A Good Olive Oil because consuming a good olive maximizes its heart healthy benefits.
8. Eat fatty fish 2 days per week – Think Salmon, Salmon and Salmon. One study showed that consuming fatty fish 4 times per week increased HDL levels and HDL’s ability to protect you from heart disease.
9. Increase purple colored fruits and vegetables – purple produce contains anthocyanins that have been shown to increase HDL, decrease inflammation and protect cells from the damaging effects of free radicals. This would include eggplant, blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, red cabbage and beets. Always strive to have a colorful plate!
