What is Good Cholesterol?
“Cholesterol” and “bad” get paired together a lot. As a duo, they insinuate heart disease, stroke, blood clots, and heart attacks. But knowing how “good cholesterol” works is just as important as eschewing the “bad” cholesterol. Simplefill stands behind the power of good cholesterol to bring better health to your body.
What is Bad Cholesterol?
For good circulation and the reduced risk of heart disease, blood needs to flow unencumbered through veins. LDL cholesterol is responsible for the plaque that builds up in your arteries. With too much plaque blocking blood flow—you’re at risk of strokes, heart attacks and other scary heart complications. High cholesterol can also build up due to hereditary factors, poor diet, weight gain, and a lack of physical activity.
What is Good Cholesterol?
You can consider HDL cholesterol, also known as “good” cholesterol, as your body’s knight in shining armor. It helps to remove LDL cholesterol by carrying it down to the liver, where it can be disintegrated safely. American Heart Association credits HDL cholesterol for helping to protect your body from strokes and heart attack.
How Do I Lower Bad Cholesterol and Raise Good Cholesterol?
If you’re exploring how to lower cholesterol the Mayo Clinic recommends:
- Removing trans fats from your diet. A healthy rule of thumb for this is to limit processed foods as much as possible. Trans fats are the yucky cousin of good fats—like monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats—found in nuts and avocados.
- Exercising regularly. Even a little bit of activity can help; aim for 30 minutes of walking every day if you have enough mobility to safely do so.
- Quitting smoking. The benefits of quitting smoking are too numerous to name, but increased lung capacity, the reduction in your chance of getting lung cancer and reducing bad cholesterol sounds like a win to us.
- Lose weight if overweight. Losing weight through long-lasting lifestyle changes like monitoring calorie intake and exercise is a solid investment in your future health.
You might notice parallels between ways to lower LDL cholesterol and raise HDL cholesterol. Think of these as your heart-healthy golden rules.
Small changes add up over time. Adopt these four tips to keep your heart healthy for long-term success. If you or someone you love needs help paying for cholesterol medication, we’re here to help. Apply today and have access to our caring advocates who will help you every step of the way.
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