Getting To Know Your Health Guardian, HDL Cholesterol
The level of cholesterol in our blood has a deep impact on our health. LDL (low density lipoprotein) cholesterol affects our health adversely, whereas HDL (high density lipoprotein) cholesterol is beneficial for us. Maintaining the balance of good and bad cholesterol levels is essential for a good, healthy life, one that is free from heart disease.
Freedom from heart disease depends on maintaining a healthy balance of the two cholesterols in the blood. We should not do anything to harm the HDL cholesterol, and we must do everything to reduce the LDL cholesterol.
Modern allopathy has a number of medicines in its armory which can combat heart disease. These must be taken under medical guidance because their incorrect use may endanger your very life. Here are some alternative therapies which can reduce your risk of heart disease safely, simply. The first is cardiovascular exercise which improves the health of the circulatory system. Cardiovascular exercise is a proven therapeutic activity to bring your cholesterol to a healthy level.
The generally held medical opinion is that thirty minutes of cardiovascular exercise every day is sufficient to control bad cholesterol levels. Dr. Mercola thinks otherwise. He stresses the importance of exercise being exercise, not a form of relaxation. Exercise is beneficial to health only when we feel exerted. This can be done in two ways: either increase the stress level of the exercise, or increase its duration. He feels that the second option is the safer of the two. Simply jogging in the park for the stipulated thirty minutes is not going to do an iota of good for our cholesterol level, says Dr. Mercola. Extend the jog to an hour, and then you’ll experience an appreciable reduction of bad cholesterol. Whatever form of exercise you choose, just make sure you exercise regularly.
To help your HDL cholesterol to remain at a healthy level, you should not have any food which contains heavy amounts of LDL cholesterol. Saturated fats as food items or as cooking medium are notorious in this regard. Omega-3 and mono-unsaturated oils and fats are good for HDL cholesterol.
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.
To read about ways of lowering cholesterol naturally visit www.Reduce-High-Cholesterol.com. You’ll find out what foods you should eat, and what you should avoid. You’ll also learn how buying a cholesterol monitor can save you expensive trips to the physician.
