|
|
(HealthNewsDigest.com) – If you are a woman, your physician is going to expect more from you – more HDL cholesterol.
HDL, which stands for high-density lipoprotein, is the substance commonly known as “good cholesterol.”
“Women typically have higher levels of HDL cholesterol than men, about 10 points higher on average. This is mostly due to the effects of estrogen,” says Dr. Anand Rohatgi, a preventative cardiologist at UT Southwestern Medical Center. “Typically, women should have an HDL greater than 50 mg/dL and men greater than 40 mg/dL,” he noted.
The higher the level of HDL cholesterol, the lower your risk for heart disease.
That’s because HDL is the street-sweeper of the blood stream, removing cholesterol from blood vessels, where it can cause damage.
“HDL mostly acts to help remove cholesterol from plaques in the arteries for delivery to the liver and removal from the body,” says Dr. Rohatgi. “This process, called ‘reverse cholesterol transport’ is considered one of the key ways that HDL protects against coronary heart disease.”
Women with an HDL level below 50 mg/dL should take action.
Healthy lifestyle measures, like increasing physical activity and reducing your waistline, can improve HDL levels.
Here are some other changes you can make that can help increase your good cholesterol:
· Substitute whole-grain bread and whole-grain pasta for white bread and regular pasta.
· If you smoke, quit. It’s one of the most effective ways to raise HDL.
· Limit dessert to a once-a-week treat.
· Increase the amount of walking you do. The recommended amount is 30 minutes of physical activity at least 5 days a week. If you wear a pedometer, every week calculate your average steps per day and try to increase it by 2,000 steps a day. The recommended goal is 10,000 steps a day.
###
For advertising/promotioncall Mike McCurdy at 877-634-9180 or email at [email protected]. We have over 7,000 journalists who are subscribers.