- What to do to increase good cholesterol
- Symptoms of low HDL cholesterol
- What causes low HDL cholesterol
- Risks of low HDL cholesterol
To improve HDL cholesterol, also known as good cholesterol, one should increase the consumption of foods rich in good fats, such as avocado, nuts, peanuts and fatty fish, such as salmon and sardines.
HDL cholesterol works by removing fat molecules from the blood, which when they accumulate can cause problems such as atherosclerosis and infarction. Thus, the recommendation is that HDL values should always be above 40 mg / dL, both in men and women.
What to do to increase good cholesterol
To increase the concentration of HDL cholesterol in the blood, foods rich in good fats should be consumed, such as:
- Fatty fish, such as salmon, sardines and tuna, as they are rich in omega-3; Seeds such as chia, flaxseed and sunflower, as they are also natural sources of omega-3, in addition to being rich in fibers; Oil fruits such as cashews, Brazil nuts, peanuts, walnuts and almonds; Avocado and olive oil, as they are rich in unsaturated fats, which help cholesterol.
Another important guideline is to increase physical activity, starting to exercise at least 3 times a week, as it helps to control weight, regulate cholesterol production and stimulate fat loss.
Symptoms of low HDL cholesterol
Low HDL cholesterol does not produce any symptoms as a warning sign, but it is possible to suspect that the levels of good cholesterol are low if factors such as: excessive abdominal fat, lack of regular physical activity and excessive consumption of foods rich in bad fats are present., such as fried foods, fast foods, sausages, stuffed biscuits and frozen frozen food.
In these cases, it is recommended to go to the doctor and do a blood test to assess cholesterol levels, starting an appropriate treatment, if necessary. In general, after following the doctor's and nutritionist's recommendations, after about 3 months the test should be repeated and the cholesterol levels must have dropped or returned to normal. Check out what are the reference values for cholesterol in the blood test.
What causes low HDL cholesterol
HDL may be low due to genetic factors that influence its production by the liver, and due to bad lifestyle habits, such as being sedentary, having a bad diet, being overweight, having high triglycerides, smoking and using drugs that they alter hormonal production, such as corticosteroids.
Children with low HDL cholesterol often have a family history of cardiovascular disease or are overweight, consume too much sugar and do not engage in any physical activity. In this case, the blood test for cholesterol must be done from 2 years of age. Know What to do when high cholesterol is genetic.
Risks of low HDL cholesterol
When good cholesterol is low, with values below 40 mg / dL, there is an increased risk of cardiovascular disease because it increases the risk of fat accumulation in blood vessels, interrupting normal blood flow and can cause problems such as:
- Acute myocardial infarction; Deep vein thrombosis; Arterial diseases; Stroke.
The risk of complications from low HDL is higher in individuals who also have high LDL and VLDL cholesterol, and when other health problems are also present, such as being overweight, high blood pressure, smoking and diabetes. In these situations balancing cholesterol levels is even more necessary.
Watch the video below and see some examples of cholesterol-lowering home remedies:
