Your body needs HDL (a type of cholesterol) to function properly. This page of the eMedTV archives provides a detailed look at HDL, including what it does, what the numbers mean, and how you can increase it in your system.
According to the latest guidelines, HDL levels of 60 mg/dL and above are considered high. This page of the eMedTV library highlights the benefits of having high HDL cholesterol levels and offers an explanation of possible causes.
Raising HDL levels above 60 mg/dL can protect against heart disease and heart attack. The information in this eMedTV article highlights how lifestyle changes and certain medications can be effective in increasing HDL levels in the blood.
While scientists have not yet found foods that raise HDL levels consistently, as this eMedTV segment explains, there are foods that are proven to lower LDL cholesterol and decrease the risk for heart disease, such as walnuts, garlic, and fatty fish.
Despite the many benefits associated with it, using fish oil to increase HDL is not effective. This eMedTV resource discusses the benefits that fish oil does offer and includes tips on how you can increase HDL levels through lifestyle changes.
The HDL/LDL ratio is the proportion of "good cholesterol" (HDL) to "bad cholesterol" (LDL). This eMedTV article explains how this ratio is figured and also discusses why absolute cholesterol numbers may be more important than any cholesterol ratio.
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