A Good Cholesterol Level Helps Prevent Cardiovascular Conditions

Maintaining a good cholesterol level is key if you want to avoid many cardiovascular diseases. In fact, good cholesterol levels mean having high or acceptable amount of good cholesterol (high density lipoprotein or HDL cholesterol) in your blood. And low levels of bad cholesterol (low density lipoprotein or LDL cholesterol). Whenever LDL cholesterol levels rise above what is considered acceptable, patients will be more at risk of developing thickened arteries that can lead to things like high blood pressure, blood clots and other coronary artery diseases.

HDL Cholesterol Absorbs LDL Cholesterol

HDL and LDL cholesterol are a transport for cholesterol as it is not soluble in water. So LDL cholesterol carries cholesterol away from the liver and to the extremities of the body, including the arteries. HDL cholesterol returns cholesterol to the liver, where it can be excreted from the body.  In this way, HDL cholesterol can lower the overall level of cholesterol in the body and explains why it is termed good.

To find out more about a good cholesterol level for you, you should consult a doctor who in turn will need to perform a baseline cholesterol test to determine cholesterol levels. The results of the test should show HDL levels at 60 mg/dl (milligrams per deciliter of blood) or more. On the other hand, an HDL level of less than 40 mg/dl will mean that you will be at greater risk of developing cardiovascular conditions.

To ensure that you have a good cholesterol level may well require making changes to your lifestyle. You doctor will advise you on this and make suggestions on how you can go about it. The reality is that small changes can make a big difference to your cholesterol level.

Simple changes include quitting smoking (ok, maybe that's not so simple but start by cutting down)  which has the effect of elevating LDL cholesterol levels; maintaining optimum body weight can also do the same as quitting smoking and even a few less pounds of body weight can impact your good cholesterol level favorably.

Remaining physically active is essential to keeping a good cholesterol level because it can increase  HDL cholesterol and reduce bad (LDL) cholesterol in your blood. Even short exercise can make a difference as long as you stick to a regular program and try to increase the duration over time.

Even changing eating habits can ensure good cholesterol level and by eating only healthy fats and reducing saturated fats or fried foods and foods that contain plenty of oil you can reduce cholesterol. And, as far as consuming alcohol is concerned you will have to ensure to drink only in moderation and to prefer red wine whenever possible.

Learning how to avoid high cholesterol levels is important because such elevated levels can cause cardiovascular diseases that in turn can become a heart attack or a stroke.

If you want to ensure a good cholesterol level then there are also some vitamins and drugs available. Niacin is thought to be good for your cholesterol level. It can be taken as a supplement of added to foods. Drugs, such as statins, have to be prescribed and generally a doctor will prefer you try to reduce your cholesterol level naturally before resorting to a  drug.