Seven Ways to Increase Good Cholesterol Naturally

Much attention is paid nowadays to the role of cholesterol in heart health. It is known that HDLs are the "good" cholesterol, and that LDLs are the "bad" cholesterol. If you are intending to improve your cholesterol numbers by increasing your HDL count, here are seven natural ways that you can raise your body's concentration of this good cholesterol.

Natural HDL-Raising Tip #1 - Do Aerobic Exercise
Aerobic exercise is one of the best ways to lose weight, get in shape, improve cardiovascular conditioning, and naturally raise your HDL count. Be reasonable, don't overdo it, and you should experience more than just the HDL-raising benefits of exercise.

Natural HDL-Raising Tip #2 - Stop Eating Trans Fats
Trans fats reduce HDLs, increase LDLs and blood pressure, and have been implicated in the development of cancer. One of the best natural ways to increase your HDL or good cholesterol is to stop eating foods that contain trans fats and hydrogenated oils. Replace these foods with organic fruits and vegetables and watch your good cholesterol increase.

Natural HDL-Raising Tip #3 - Stop Smoking
If you are a smoker wanting to increase your good cholesterol, one of the best things you can do for your health and your wallet is to stop smoking. Smoking reduces the good cholesterol in your bloodstream, so a simple natural way to increase your good cholesterol is to stop smoking. You'll also be less likely to suffer from emphysema and lung cancer in the future, and you'll have more money in your wallet from the cigarettes you're not smoking. This change is not immediate, and will take place gradually over eight to ten weeks.

Natural HDL-Raising Tip #4 - Eat More Fish
The Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids in fish can help to raise your body's concentrations of good cholesterol. If you do not like fish or have a seafood allergy, you may be able to take a fish oil supplement. Either eating fish or taking a fish supplement is a good way of naturally raising your levels of good cholesterol.

Natural HDL-Raising Tip #5 - Drink a Glass of Red Wine Every Day
Drinking wine has been shown to increase the concentration of good cholesterol in a person's body, and has also been shown to decrease blood pressure. Other alcoholic beverages have similar effects, but red wine is the best if you want to increase your HDL levels naturally.

Natural HDL-Raising Tip #6 - Decrease the Amount of Refined Sugars You Eat
Refined sugars decrease the levels of HDL in your bloodstream and increase the concentration of triglycerides. Eat fewer refined sugars and complex carbohydrates to naturally increase your concentration of good cholesterol.

Natural HDL-Raising Tip #7 - Eat Dark Chocolate
Dark chocolates, if eaten regularly (and moderately) over time, can help to increase your body's production of good cholesterol. Try to eat chocolate that has a cocoa concentration of 70% or greater, but don't overdo it. This should be an easy, enjoyable, and natural way for many people to increase their levels of good cholesterol.

Clearly, there are a number of ways to naturally increase your good cholesterol. Hopefully one or more of these natural HDL-raising suggestions will work for you as you attempt to improve your health. If you have any more suggestions on how to raise your good cholesterol naturally, or have any relevant anecdotes, please feel free to leave your thoughts and experiences in the form of a comment below. Thank you for reading!