Readers Respond: Raising HDL Levels

This being the case, every bit of encouragement we can give each other will help. So share with other readers what you did to raise your HDL levels. Tell Us What Worked

Make sure you feel the flush

I raised my HDL from 31 to 39 by taking 1000 mg of Niacin. Then...I increased up to 2000 but it went down to 35. I then increased my HDL to 45 in 3.5 months. I was taking 2000mg of Niacin but noticed I didn't feel the flush anymore. I think my body was getting used to it. I would focus on taking Niacin that is NOT flush free (luckily the least expensive kind). Take the right dose so you feel the flush. I think that is what has the effect on hdl from my own experience. Also, during that 3.5 month timeframe where I increased my HDL by about 30%, I was also eating a lot of eggs (12 per wee)...and the whole egg including the yolk. Before I would just eat the egg white. A couple of things to experiment with....feel the flush and eat the whole egg.

—Guest DJ

HDL 36

I got my results back, 2 months ago, but they just decided to tell me now which makes me upset, but by TC was 145, but HDL was 36... now 2 months ago I was barely exercising and barely lost any weight, and i went on a no meat diet, and also started consuming olive oil and almond milk daily on most weeks in the past 2 months... and i eat nothing but veggies/beans/whole grain bread/oatmeal and very little dairy... Am hoping it goes up, because im 4 points below normal for a guy. I'd like it to go up 20 like it was 4 years ago. I had a level of 54, 4 years ago

—Guest Brock

low cholesterol

just got my blood work done ,cholesterol,111 hdl,38,ldl,50,,triglycerides,117

—jmfl98

raised hdl

i cut out most of milk .us soy or silk walk run 45 mins a day dropped 40 lbs.watch what i eat but still get a burger two times a week just no fries. eat oatmill snacks and cerals. dropped ldL 100 points in two months raised hdl 65 points same time

—Guest david gillon

HDL increased by 28 %

I eliminated all wheat products and went on a green leafy vegetable, legume, lentil, beans, whole fruit and egg white diet with small quantities of clarified butter. I also eliminated all vegetable oils including extra virgin olive oil. In only 2 weeks my HDL increased from 40.9 to 52.5. I am not an exercise freak and walk briskly (6 km per hour) every alternate day for 20 - 25 minutes only. During these two weeks my total cholesterol dropped from 225 to 180 and my LDL dropped from 147 to 114. I am a 48 year old male and plan to continue this regime for at least 6 months before taking another reading. I must say that this regime takes a lot of discipline to adhere to.

—NeelPankh

Nothing has worked

For the last year I have changed my diet to include raw mixed unsalted nuts, avacados, cranberry juice, red wine, fiber supplements, omega 3 supplements, fish, shrimp, etc. I exercise 7 days a week with an hour of cardio per day. I have lost 30 lbs of fat and gained 10 lbs of muscle. My HDL was 31 a year ago and it is still 31. Guess it must be genetic.

—Guest David

Is Cholesterol spilling into arteries?

The one thing that all of these studies seem to forget to mention is that just because a person has a high blood serum cholesterol, that doesn't mean it is spilling over into the arteries and causing blockages. Yes, there is a link between blocked arteries and heart disease, but there is no direct link between cholesterol and heart disease. We need to no be so quick to embrace everything that 'science' tells us is right, especially since the 'miracle' statin drugs are now being called into question regarding their potential to *cause* type II Diabetes and increase the risk of stroke after longterm use. I went off the statins and am trying walnuts, fish oil and exercise to raise my HDL. I'd rather do it this way than take the risks associated with long term statin use.

—Guest Magz

Low HDL Genetic

Never smoked avg. 1 – 2 glass red wine a day Cut out the trans fatty acids. Avoid any foods showing Trans fat in label Increase the monounsaturated fats Use “Bestlife” for butter substitute (2g Sat fat, 0 Trans, 2 Poly 1.5 Mono) 13g Flax seed meal per day ( 0 Sta, 3.5g Poly, 1g Mono 2400 Omega-3, 4g dietary fiber, 1g soluble fiber) Reduced red meat to 1 - 2 per month, Chicken 2 – 3 times per week, fish 2 times per week, increased salads w/0fat dressing. Oat based cereal in AM, High fiber pasta (7g per serving) home made pasta sauce, olive oil, reduce eggs to about 4 per month. Eliminate bacon, from 2% to 1% milk After needing a stent I did 13 weeks of Cardio lab exercise and lost 16 lbs my HDL had not improved but the weight loss confirms diet change has had a definite effect. Prior to Stent HDL was 27 - 39 After Cardio & above changes HDL is 27 - 31 My brother has low HDL too.

—Guest Roger

Thanks!

Thanks to those who took the assignment seriously and posted WHAT WORKED TO RAISE YOUR HDL, rather than spitting a vanity-gram at those who have serious work to do. I'm at 36/114/186 now, and I think I see the pattern in for successfully changing the balance for the better. Extended periods of light-moderate excercise, calorie control, flax/fish, ZERO transfats, and one glass of adult attitude adjuster per day. I think I can do that.

—Guest guest

HDL went from 62 to 110 in 3 years

The only change I can think of is the Alive effervescent multi vitamin which I started taking daily.

—Guest Red Gym Dog

HDL

I have an HDL of 33, LDL of 85 and total of 138. I am 38 yrs old and 160lbs..I have tried everything to get my HDL to go up with no avail....

—Guest Rich

It works

Last year I had my cholesterol levels checked and although my ldl was good my hdl was tethering on the lower side. I bought fish oil pills with omega 3 and I took them 2 to 3 times a day and three months later my hdl had gone from 46 to 58. Also, my ldl decreased even further. Fish oil pills, they work!

—Guest Roadrunner 12

thyroid makes me fatter

Walking situos niacin vitD veggies low fat yogurt no ice cream 1%milk I can't believe its not butter partskim cheese greentea fruitberries!

—Guest christine

Good family genes and lots of exercise

About 8 years ago I wasn't very fit, but my HDL was in the mid-70's. 3/4 of my siblings also have high HDL values. There is no history of cardiovascular disease in our clan, so we're just very lucky. After many years of exercising (6-10 hrs/week of both weight and aerobic exercise, more during summer hiking season) I was able to get my HDL over 100, where it's been for the past three years. Most recently (at age 60) it was 104. I do watch what I each, but am basically on a healthy and varied omnivore diet.

—Guest Biped

high HDL

Why do the insurance underwriters not consider the high HDL level when computing cholesterol levels. They refuse to look at the high HDL which I was told by doctors removes the risk of high cholesterol. I do not drink, or smoke, have normal to low blood pressure, excellent weight and heart rate and was refused for health insurance because of my high cholesterol, which included a 90 HDL and a total of 298. This makes no sense to me. Why work on raising HDL when the addition of a higher number makes you ineligible for health insurance?

—Guest Sharon