How to Balance Your HDL LDL Levels

Having a good balance in your HDL LDL levels is vital to ensure that you have a healthy heart. If you have too much LDL in your blood then this can lead to heart attacks and strokes; however we do not want to totally eliminate it as it is vital for the body to function properly and therefore we just want low levels of LDL. HDL has the function of taking the LDL back to the liver for reprocessing therefore we want as much of this as we possibly can to ensure that we get all of the LDL.

One of the first things to do when starting to control the HDL LDL levels is have a look at some of your lifestyle issues. For instance if you are a smoker this can play havoc with your cholesterol levels and really you need to kick the habit. If you drink a lot this too can cause an effect because alcohol in excess raises triglyceride levels, and high triglycerides mean low HDL. In addition to that high triglycerides as well as high LDL will most definitely lead to heart disease.

This does not mean stopping drinking alcohol altogether though; alcohol in moderation is known to actually raise HDL levels. Most alcohol will be beneficial but in particular red wine is known to be extremely good for you just as long as you keep it to one of two classes a day. While we are on the subject of triglycerides a very effective way of controlling them is by eating oily fish which are rich in omega3's. The omega3's found in these fish help to reduce the triglyceride levels in the blood, and as a natural result of that you end out with higher HDL levels.

Although food does not play a huge part in your cholesterol levels foods that contain trans fats can have a significant impact. Trans fats are often used by fast food places for deep frying or by companies that make processed foods or ready-made meals to help extend the products shelf life. The problem with these fats is that not only do they lower your HDL they also increase your LDL at the same time which is the exact opposite of what we want to achieve. Fortunately there are less products using or cooked in these types of fats now, however there are still some so when buying these kinds of foods check the labeling to see if they contain hydrogenated or part hydrogenated vegetable oils as these are the trans fats.

Another way of controlling HDL LDL levels that is becoming increasingly popular is the use of supplements. Having researched this area I have found there are various supplements that can be beneficial, but the ones that are most beneficial are naturally blended supplements. These, as the name suggests, are supplements that have a blend of around about five or six natural ingredients that are known to help maintain healthy HDL LDL levels. Some of the ingredients that you should be looking for in these kinds supplements are policosanol, phytosterol's and lecithin. If you choose the right natural blended supplement you will potentially have something that is as effective at controlling your cholesterol levels as statins just without the dangerous side effects.