HDL or good cholesterol is considered “good” because it helps transport cholesterol from your arterial walls, back to the liver for excretion in your gastrointestinal tract. HDL also possesses antioxidant activity which prevents LDL or bad cholesterol from oxidizing and creating atherosclerotic plaque in your heart arteries (hardening of the arteries).

When do you need to raise HDL?
Low HDL levels, below 40 mg/dL for men and below 50 mg/dL for women, are considered a risk factor for heart disease. Ideally your HDL level should be above 60 mg/dL, which is considered protective.

What you can do to increase HDL
Lifestyle modifications such as exercise, weight loss, quitting smoking and moderate alcohol consumption have all been shown to increase HDL or good cholesterol.

Lifestyle modification (% increase in HDL levels)

• Exercise (aerobic or resistance exercise): 3-6%
• Weight loss: 1% per kg of weight loss
• Quit smoking: 3-6%
• Moderate alcohol consumption: 8%
  (2-6 ounces per day according to the American Heart Association)

Change your diet to raise HDL
Eat Healthy A diet rich in veggies, fruits, legumes, fish, and olive oil is also associated with a higher HDL level.

Get rid of transfats from your diet Transfats not only lower your HDL but also raise your LDL or bad cholesterol. You can identify transfats by looking at the food ingredient list. Anything that says hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated is a transfat and should be avoided.

Omega-3 Supplemental Omega 3 will help raise your HDL as well as help lower triglyceride levels.

What your doctor can do to help you raise HDL
There are several options available from your physician to help you raise your HDL. These include statins, fibrates and nicacin. The most effective option for raising HDL is niacin but skin flushing (niacin flush) is a troublesome side effect for many. Although available without a prescription, niacin should be used only under the direction of a physician.

Drug Therapy (% increase in HDL)

• Nicotinic acid (niacin): 8-35%
• Statins (pravachol, lipitor, zocor, crestor, lescol): 6-12%
• Fibrates (gemfibrozil): 6-20%