Not every type of cholesterol affects your health in the same way. You may have heard about “good” and “bad” cholesterol, but how are they different?
The following text is based on information by Heart UK, the US National Library of Medicine and Mayo Clinic, but it is meant for general purposes only. It does not constitute any form of medical diagnosis or advice. Do not rely on it as a substitute for proper guidance by a healthcare professional. Talk to your doctor or healthcare provider only to address any concerns about your cholesterol levels.
The lowdown on “good” cholesterol
Cholesterol, “good” or “bad”, is a type of lipoprotein. As described by Heart UK, you can think of lipoproteins as tiny parcels of fat and protein in the bloodstream that distribute lipids to your body. Depending on how dense cholesterol particles are, doctors talk about LDL (Low Density Lipoproteins) or HDL (High Density Lipoproteins). Cholesterol aside, there are three more types of lipoproteins.
HDL is also called “good” cholesterol, because it is known to have a protective effect in preventing heart attacks, as well as strokes. How? According to experts, it helps in three different ways. First, because it’s more dense than other lipids, it can collect other cholesterol particles and take them to the liver, where they are processed, thus removing the excess cholesterol. HDL is also an anti-inflammatory substance. The risk of “bad” cholesterol lies in the possibility that too much of it may accumulate in your arteries walls and damage them. HDL prevents this type of inflammation.
Finally, because HDL is also an antioxidant, it protects your cells and tissues from damage caused by substances called free radicals. This is not to say that extremely high levels of HDL are extremely beneficial, at least not if those levels occur naturally. Experts from the Mayo Clinic mention that people with these levels seem to be at higher risk of heart disease, possibly because of a genetic predisposition.
Lifestyle changes can help you increase your HDL levels, although Heart UK warns that HDL is not a reason to avoid or delay treatment prescribed by your doctor to lower high “bad cholesterol” levels. Having said that, you can raise HDL by changing your habits. According to the National Library of Medicine, this includes eating healthily and losing weight if your doctor tells you to.
Healthy habits increase HDL levels
Nutrients that can raise your HDL, according to this source, include insaturated fats, found in foods like vegetable oils — like olive oil and sunflower oil — avocado and nuts. But you can also increase this “good” cholesterol through exercise, as physical activity will increase its levels while lowering triglycerides, another type of fat that can also be harmful if present in a high amount. According to Mayo Clinic, you can start benefitting from an active lifestyle with as little as 60 weekly minutes of moderate intensity aerobic exercise.
Apart from diet and exercise, you can also avoid factors that decrease your HDL levels, per the National Library of Medicine site. Cigarette smoke exposure is known to negatively impact this substances, and drinking may also have a similar effect, so quitting tobacco, avoiding exposure to second hand smoke and limiting your alcohol intake is recommended. Chronic stress could also be linked to fluctuations in your cholesterol levels, although more research is needed.
