It is very important to maintain your HDL cholesterol levels, also known as “good cholesterol,” to prevent heart disease and heart attack. There are few guidelines to maintain healthy cholesterol levels:
• Exercise regularly – Getting regular exercise actually helps raise HDL cholesterol level while lowering total LDL (bad) cholesterol. Exercise has other benefits such as weight loss, lowers blood pressure, strengthens your heart and blood vessels, and reduces stress.
• Lose weight if you are overweight – Overweight people tend to have higher cholesterol levels than people who maintain a healthy weight. When the excess weight is concentrated in the abdominal area, your risk for cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and high blood pressure increases significantly. The healthiest and long-lasting weight loss happens by losing 1 – 2 pounds a week. By losing 10% of your weight, may improve and help lower your cholesterol levels.
• Choose foods low in saturated fat – These types of fats are the most detrimental to your health. They are made from animal production and are solid at room temperature. Eating a diet high in these types of fats is strongly correlated to heart disease. You should reduce products such as dairy products, cheeses, processed foods and meats. It is advisable to take a multivitamin to ensure proper nutrition.
• Get routine health checkups and cholesterol screenings – Since there are no real visible symptoms to high cholesterol, it is important to get a cholesterol test and routine doctor checkups to prevent heart disease and heart stroke. This is especially important for those individuals who have a higher risk of getting high cholesterol levels. These individuals include those with a family history of high cholesterol, and have been diagnosed with a chronic condition such as diabetes or heart disease. People who have a poor diet and lead sedentary life are also among those at risk.