What You Need to Know to Raise Good Cholesterol Naturally

If you are trying to find ways to improve your serum cholesterol levels and lessen your chances of developing serious cardiovascular disease you may not realize that there is more to improving heart health than just lowering bad cholesterol.

When you look at the levels of serum cholesterol in your bloodstream, there are a few things that you need to realize. The first is that there are actually two types of cholesterol that you need to deal with. The first, low density lipoprotein or LDL cholesterol is bad for your cardiovascular system. It builds up in your blood vessels and can lead to the development of atherosclerosis. This, in turn can lead to heart attacks, strokes and other serious medical conditions.

The second type of cholesterol is high density lipoprotein or HDL cholesterol. This is good cholesterol and can actually help to protect your body from developing some of the same medical conditions that LDL cholesterol can cause.

Because there are two very different forms of serum cholesterol, when someone undergoes screening, both are tested for as part of an overall lipid profile. Scientists have been finding that people who can find ways to raise good cholesterol actually end up healthier than people who simply lower their LDL cholesterol.

Food can be the best and healthiest way to raise good cholesterol levels. There are a few foods that you need to add to your diet because of the beneficial effects they can have on your cardiovascular system.

The first of these foods is fish. There are two reasons why fish is such a good source of protein. The first is that it is low in saturated fats that can add to the problem of too much bad cholesterol. The second is that fish which is high in Omega 3 fatty acids is actually quite good at raising HDL levels. Plus, it also acts on triglyceride levels. Triglycerides actually play as much of a role in the formation of arterial clogs and plaque as high levels of LDL cholesterol can.

Another food which is great to raise good cholesterol is olive oil. Again, it contains compounds which can raise HDL cholesterol as well as lowering LDL cholesterol. If you use olive oil instead of butter to cook with you can end up in a much more heart-healthy state of being.

Making dietary changes may take longer than prescription medications but they are safer and easier on your system. By choosing to increase your fish intake and replace saturated fats with things like olive oil you will end up feeling much better in the long run.

Learn more about how to lower your cholesterol naturally without dangerous drugs at controlling-cholesterol.com controlling-cholesterol.com. Find out how to controlling-cholesterol.com raise good cholesterol naturally.