[Larry66]

Although my overall cholesterol is below 100, my Hdl is too low, 37! Does anyone know how to bring this number up? Thanks

 

[smorgan]

Eat More Saturated Fat

 

[KatherinePW]

My total cholesterol is bad, 235 last time I was checked. But good cholesterol is over 107. I attribute it to exercise ( I do p90x routine and hike on wknds), tons of olive oil and avocado consumption

 

[Shanny]

When your total cholesterol is under 100, I'm not sure how the components stack up, it being so low. My husband's HDL is 46 - up from 37 due to eating low-carb/high-fat for the last coupla years - but his total cholesterol is 195.

I think all your numbers will settle down where they belong if you stick with the lc/hf way of eating.

 

[Larry66]

Thanks everyone

 

[jwags]

My husband HDL was in the low 30's and he raised it to 56 eating a LC/HF diet with lots of Coconut Oil. Are you on statins? When I was on statins it lowered my HDL. Other things that work are exercise, red wine, saturated fats, and fish oil.

 

[foxl]

Exercise, eat sat fat, and drink alcohol. Altho it is speculated the increase from alcohol is not the healthiest HDL ...

Also, low HDL seems to go with hypothyroidism.

 

[Larry66]

I am on statin, and my hdl actually dipped a couple points since I was diagnosed, dropping 93lb I cut as much fat as I can, and I dont drink! Hard to add fat when I've still got weight to lose

 

[foxl]

Well if you eat low carb, fat will not make you fat. Especially if you replace unsaturated with saturated fats.

 

[Larry66]

Thanks, I appreciate it!

 

[jwags]

I think the hardest thing for a lot of us to embrace is that Fat doesn't make us Fat. Carbs make us fat. I had my highest total cholesterol numbers when I was on a low fat vegetarian diet. When I added fat back into my diet and cut the carbs my total cholesterol came down and HDL went up. I think as long as you are on a statin it may be difficult to raise HDL.

 

[Larry66]

Thanks jwags, I'm still new to this and such a hard concept to grasp but I'll try it!

 

[wdmama]

I eat tons of fat and the pounds are melting off! It's the carbs that are the enemy I know it seems counterintuitive, but it works!

Butter, olive oil, coconut oil, bacon grease, avocados, nuts, don't trim you meat, eat the skin.... avoid hydrogenated and vegetable oils like canola.

 

[KatherinePW]

Why do you suggest avoiding veg oils?

 

[wdmama]

Why do you suggest avoiding veg oils?

First, because it smells bad. It's a survival instinct that humans have - we shouldn't eat something that smells rancid.

But for more technical reasons I'll give you links, because I have a baby in my arms. lol

Healthy Oils | Mark's Daily Apple

Polyunsaturated Fats: Are They Healthy? | Mark's Daily Apple

Dear Mark: Canola Oil | Mark's Daily Apple

 

[smorgan]

Why do you suggest avoiding veg oils?

PUFAs are inferior to saturated fats when it comes to boosting HDL. They also break down under heat and produce dangerous trans-fats, which saturated fats do not.

Vegetable oils would have a shelf life of just a few weeks except for the extreme processing they go through involving very high heat. Technically, they are "rancid" as soon as they're bottled and they have to add deodorizers so that won't be obvious to the consumer.

They are basically untested as they have only been part of the human diet in this form for a very short period. Remember corn oil the "great savior" (from that evil saturated fat). Don't hear so much about that any more! It turned out to be a disaster.

Many times they are found in hydrogenated form - another public health disaster (NEVER, buy "no-stir" peanut butter!)

If you must have a good fat which is not "saturated", olive oil is good, but only cold. Unlike the saturated fats, it is not stable under heat.

Coconut oil is probably the best all-around oil on the planet.

 

[KatherinePW]

Thank U WDMama
Useful info

 

[MCS]

I did a 2 month therapy of 45 grams of fish oil and 5 grams of L-Carnitine daily, along with a LC/HF diet. The result was a 4 pt climb in my HDL, LDL remained the same and my Trigs went from 89 to 38. Total CHL is now 150ish. My LDL is still small and dense. I am now taking 40 grams of resistant starch and 1500mg of L-Carnosine to correct it.

 

[Larry66]

Wow,great info, I lost so much weight cutting carbs and fat! Crazy to think I might be healthier eating the fat! Thanks

 

[bglee8]

HDL genetics

I have had the same issue with increasing my HDL and I've been told that although I exercise 5x a week swimming 1/4 mile a day and perform resistance training in the pool. My HDL fluctuates from 29 to 32
LDL is 55
Triglycerides 190
Total cholesterol is 124
A1C 5.1
My doctor say my total cholesterol is actually on the very low side.Triglycerides are above normal. I eat very little meat or chicken. Maybe 3 or 4 times a month. Just not sure what to take. I've taken fish oil and krill oil in the past but it didn't seem to help HDL maybe went up to 33. I ave a very athletic build weighing 230lbs at 5'8". I actually weighed 265lbs 3 years ago. Any suggestions..I prefer a vegetarian supplement to increase HDL thinking about the flax seed oil or maybe chia seed oil if they have it on the market.