Will eating low-fat foods help improve my health?... How to raise good cholesterol in the blood?

Raising HDL through lifestyle habits such as diet and exercise

To maintain healthy HDL cholesterol levels, you should adopt heart-healthy eating habits and manage your health through regular exercise.

 

If your cholesterol is high, it can cause concern. It is associated with heart attacks and strokes, giving it a negative image.

Cholesterol is divided into HDL (high-density lipoprotein), the good cholesterol, and LDL (low-density lipoprotein), the bad cholesterol.

Because of this, it is important to raise HDL levels and lower LDL levels.

 

Experts describe an ideal HDL level as above 50 mg/dL. The normal range is 40 to 59 mg/dL, and HDL levels below 40 mg/dL increase the risk of heart disease.

In addition, it is desirable to keep LDL levels below 100 mg/dL. The following are methods suggested by the Cleveland Clinic in the United States to healthily increase HDL levels.

 

☆☆Healthy eating habits for heart health = Meals have a significant impact on cholesterol levels. A heart-healthy diet includes the following. First,☆

Consume enough fruits and vegetables. Also, eat foods high in soluble fiber such as oats, whole grain cereals, and legumes. It is also good to eat salmon, a fish rich in omega-3 fatty acids.

 

It is also important to reduce the intake of animal fats and saturated fats.☆ Limit the consumption of fatty beef, pork, lamb, and the skin of processed poultry.

Reduce the intake of processed meats such as bacon, hot dogs, salami, and Bologna ham. It is also advisable to decrease the consumption of whole milk, butter, and sour cream. ☆It is recommended to limit the intake of egg yolks, salt, tropical oils (palm oil, palm kernel oil, coconut oil), fried foods, and fast food.☆

The Mediterranean diet and the DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) diet are known to be healthy diets for heart health.

 

☆Regular exercise = Exercise has effects beyond building muscle. It helps increase HDL levels and decrease LDL levels.

It is good to engage in various types of exercise, such as walking, running, cycling, swimming, yoga, and weight training, whichever you prefer. Aim for 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise or 75 minutes of high-intensity exercise per week. It may be challenging at first, but gradually increasing the duration is beneficial. Even a small amount of exercise can lead to significant changes.

 

☆Maintaining a healthy weight = Overweight often raises LDL levels and lowers HDL levels. However, not all overweight or obese individuals have high cholesterol levels. If weight loss is necessary, reducing weight by just 5% to 10% can have a positive impact on HDL and LDL levels.

 

☆Quitting smoking = Smoking lowers HDL levels and increases the risk of heart disease, hypertension, and diabetes. Quitting smoking can quickly improve HDL levels. According to studies, HDL levels often increase within three weeks after quitting.

 

☆Blood sugar and blood pressure management= Cholesterol issues are often accompanied by high blood sugar (Type 2 diabetes) and high blood pressure. Healthy eating, regular exercise, and weight management, as mentioned earlier, are necessary. If lifestyle changes are difficult, consult a doctor for additional assistance. If needed, medication or other treatment options can be considered.

 

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Don't just assume you're healthy.

Health seems to be something to be protected while you are healthy.

Clean your blood vessels with healthy eating habits.

Let's stay healthy.