Aa
Aa
A
A
A
Close
Avatar universal

Raising Good Cholesterol

I just got my cholesterol results back- my overall cholesterol is 155- but my good cholesterol was only 32. Does anyone have advice on how to raise it? I take fish oil and exercise when my fibromyalgia isn't acting up. I only eat lean meats, I'm lactose intolerant so I don't eat cheese, ice cream or candy bars, I've cut out potato chips. I've heard drinking a glass of wine a day can help but alcoholism runs in my family so I'm not comfortable with that. Is there anything else? From what I've heard medicines don't really do a whole lot.
15 Responses
Sort by: Helpful Oldest Newest
180749 tn?1443595232
Very gentle pranayam, which anyone can do anytime. Once you can do it for more than  20 minutes, you are getting better, and will start to feel the benefits.
Build up your timing gradually.If you feel tired or dizzy, stop and resume after one minute.

Anulom Vilom pranayam –
Close your right nostril with thumb and deep breath-in through left nostril  
then – close left nostril with two fingers and breath-out through right nostril  
then -keeping the left nostril closed  deep breath-in through right nostril
then - close your right nostril with thumb and breath-out through left nostril.
This is one cycle of anulom vilom.
Repeat this cycle for 15 to 30  minutes twice a day.
Children under 15 years – do 5 to 10 minutes twice a day.
You can do this before breakfast/lunch/dinner or before bedtime or in bed.Remember to take deep long breaths into the lungs.You can do this while sitting on floor or chair or lying in bed.
May 9, 2011
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal


I forgot to ask the contraindications for these breathing exercises.????

I do know that if you just had a heart attack - you need to wait at least a year before doing a lung funciton test because of the breathing hard in a plastic tube.

I also know that some breathing exercises are contraindicated for heart failure and those with blockages in the heart.

I did some simple Qi Gong moves, very very slowly and breating was jut to focus underneath the nose.  Both hands went blue/purple and the Qi Gong practitioner was afraid to continue with those.  I was pales, sweaty, hot and felt faint.

To date, nobody has been explained what happened.

I also found that I am so ill, that several types of breathing, such as in Ki-Kou Chinese breathing made my autonomic system worse.  A simple breathing exercise messed up my breathing for about four hours.

Let me know of something very gentle, that those who are very ill can practice, many thanks,



Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
My hdl was 28 in Oct '09-
ramped up to 1.5 grams slo-niacin by Jan '10
Tested Oct '10- Hdl went to 35- not great but it is a 20% increase
Now up to 2 grams once at bedtime.
I buy my slo-niacin from Costco.
Just bought $350 worth a few months back.

By the way brought my ldl down to 105 from 150's.

Curious now what improvement 2 grams will offer.

Niacin is up there with sliced bread if you ask me.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal

Totally agree with Hava.  Read my previous post about Medical Qi Gong, and I am NOT taking any meds!!  I have HF for 10 ten years or more, arrythmia etc... and finding now, that somehow its possible to physiological alter cells and DNA doing some type of meditation and medical Qi Gong, by a reputable practitioner.

look up Ayurvedic medicines, which is mostly compounds from fruits and vegetables, 60% actually, and 40% from herbs, roots, barks, etc..  I wrote about it a on my blog, ADR-Central, if you just google it.  I started a new forum a few days called Health Quest on proboards.  It will focus on holistic options but it does have a category for Medications.

They usually prescribe more than one compound because many systems are involved here, not just one.  Once the establish the ROOT CAUSE of your health prob, they will attempt to address causes on an individual basis.

Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Altough I forgot what effect Niacin had on my HDL, because I was taking 400mg to lower my total Choleterol after getting off the Statins. Result: Total Cholesterol 280 before and 279 after.
Helpful - 0
159619 tn?1707018272
COMMUNITY LEADER
I was on Niaspan 500 mg when my HDL was 36. At that time I also started working out and on my next test my HDL was 43 right at 6 months later. I stopped taking Niaspan at that time because I did not care for the flushing side effect. After stopping, my HDL has fluctuated between 43 - 40 so I'm of the opinion that the Niaspan added about 3 of the 7 points increased and attribute the rest to exercise.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I would just like someone with personal experience with actually using Niacin to lower raise their HDL, to let us know what kind they took, how much they took, and how long they were on it, and what results occured, what was their HDL before using it and then after using it.
I to, am a patient, and need real support on how to really raise my HDL.


Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Hi, folks,

A number of posts have been removed to keep the focus on the JDS2805's original question.  Please bear in mind that this is a patient support area where all input about HDL is encouraged, and that includes both personal experience and what you've managed to find out via research.  If you have personal issues you'd like to discuss with other members, please feel free to do so via our personal messaging system.  Thanks!

Claire
MedHelp.org
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Genetics plays a significant role in the levels of HDL and LDL in the blood and some medications and exercise programs can shift them one way or another.  There is no magic remedy and for a very informative article on lowering LDL levels I suggest searching  "lowering LDL levels"  -  you would locate an article on" theheath.usnews.com" web site containing an article on lowering LDL cholesterol.  As 'erijon' indicated in a previous post I cannot provide you with the direct link to the site - it violates the copyright policy of this forum.




Helpful - 0
159619 tn?1707018272
COMMUNITY LEADER
From the Mayo Clinic;

>>>>>>Niacin can raise HDL — the "good" cholesterol — by 15 to 35 percent. This makes niacin the most effective drug available for raising HDL cholesterol. While niacin's effect on HDL is of most interest, it's worth noting that niacin also decreases your LDL and triglyceride levels. High levels of LDL and triglycerides are significant risk factors for heart disease. <<<<<<<

If you want more specifics, Google the SLIM study for the actual results. Also, exercise has been proven to increase HDL, I'm sorry these have not worked for you, but they have for many, many others.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I exercise every day.
And my last heart doctor put me on Niacin, and it had NO effect, so he told me to double the amount of Niacin I was taking, and it still had ZERO effect. I'd be interested in seeing where someone would come up with a 20% increase figure, cause it simple is NOT proven. And Niacin can be very dangerous if to much is taken.

If people recommend something, they should tell us their person experiences with what they are recommending and how it effected their HDL.

I've tried to raise my HDL everyway, and nothing has much of an effect.

It's easy to do thing or take things to effect your LDL or Trigs, but NOT HDL.
Helpful - 0
159619 tn?1707018272
COMMUNITY LEADER
The easiest way to improve HDL is with exercise and Niacin. In order to see an improvement from exercise, you need to be meeting the AHA recommended levels of 30 mins of moderate activity most days of the week. This will increase your HDL, but you should not start an increased exercise program without first speaking to your doctor for his OK.

Also, ask him about Niacin, it can increase HDL by over 20%, but has some side effects so please don't start without discussing it with him as well. I don't know about pranayams and what effect they have.

Again, try to increase you exercise load, ask your doctor about a plan that will work best for you.
Helpful - 0
180749 tn?1443595232
To increase your good cholestrol, start doing this pranayam everyday. Let me know the cholestrol level, from the next three tests. Your feedback will help others to get better naturally.
Build up your timing gradually.If you feel tired or dizzy, stop and resume after one minute.
Kapalbhati pranayam -(Do it before eating) Push air forcefully out through the nose about once per second. Stomach will itself go in(contract in). The breathing in(through the nose) will happen automatically. Establish a rhythm and do for 20 to 30 minutes twice a day. Children under 15 years – do 5 to 10 minutes twice a day.
Not for pregnant women. Seriously ill people do it gently.
Anulom Vilom pranayam –
Close your right nostril with thumb and deep breath-in through left nostril  
then – close left nostril with two fingers and breath-out through right nostril  
then -keeping the left nostril closed  deep breath-in through right nostril
then - close your right nostril with thumb and breath-out through left nostril.
This is one cycle of anulom vilom.
Repeat this cycle for 15 to 30  minutes twice a day.
Children under 15 years – do 5 to 10 minutes twice a day.
You can do this before breakfast/lunch/dinner or before bedtime or in bed.Remember to take deep long breaths into the lungs.You can do this while sitting on floor or chair or lying in bed.

Bhramri Pranayam -Close eyes. Close ears with thumb, index finger on forehead, and rest three fingers on base of nose touching eyes. Breathe in through nose. And now breathe out through nose while humming like a bee.
Duration : 5 to 21  times.
Helpful - 0
1089281 tn?1314567514
JDS: I have had low HDL every since they started testing mine.. cant remember how long its been laffin... 35-40 years I think.. mine will get as low as 22..they always told me sugars increased it ...even sugars in fruit or like starchy foods such as  potatoes.. anyway I found one food that will correct it.. and it will correct it in 2-3 weeks.. Ive done it several times... and here it is... eat 1/2 of a raw onion every day... Im telling you it works.. problem is ... Im not tough enough to eat one every dang day... It even helps your other numbers.. but ya gotta be tough to eat that dang raw onion every day.. I even tried juicing them....and it worked.. but I think it was easier eating the raw onion..man it was bad juicing those dang onions....and drinking that onion juice... Not pullin your leg... true story...laffin  ....  they say it doenst help near as much if it is cooked.. I just try to eat a healty diet and in moderation.. and dont worry about it.. it hasnt killed me yet..laffin and im dang near 70 now and can max out a stress test.. ohh thats one thing.. exercise helps improve the HDL number they tell me and I have walked 8 miles or so a day for  the past 35 years... but HDL number is still low......They checked for blockage last year ...and I have a couple of places that are 20% blocked..so at 70 I aint worrying bout it....if it aint plugged my arteries by now.. dont think its going too....thats my story.. good luck.Claytex
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Chances are you were born with it low and it will always be low.
You might get it to move one or two higher or lower, but for now, no matter what you do, what pills you take, what exercise you do, you'll never get it to chance much to matter.
It just means you have to keep a better eye on you bad cholestorol level.

There maybe a new pill out in a few years that claim can increase it 138.1 percent increase, called Anacetrapib by Merck.
Helpful - 0
Have an Answer?

You are reading content posted in the Heart Disease Community

Top Heart Disease Answerers
159619 tn?1707018272
Salt Lake City, UT
11548417 tn?1506080564
Netherlands
Learn About Top Answerers
Didn't find the answer you were looking for?
Ask a question
Popular Resources
Is a low-fat diet really that heart healthy after all? James D. Nicolantonio, PharmD, urges us to reconsider decades-long dietary guidelines.
Can depression and anxiety cause heart disease? Get the facts in this Missouri Medicine report.
Fish oil, folic acid, vitamin C. Find out if these supplements are heart-healthy or overhyped.
Learn what happens before, during and after a heart attack occurs.
What are the pros and cons of taking fish oil for heart health? Find out in this article from Missouri Medicine.
How to lower your heart attack risk.