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I have low HDL about 30 , LDL 125, Chorestrol 185, Trig 120. I have been exercising regularly for the past 3 months and eating healthy food , my trig came down to 120 from 200 but my HDL does not seems to increase or am I expecting results too quickly. I exercise 200 minutes per week which include cardio and weight. Any suggestion is appreciated. My doctor was recommending Niaspan which I like to avoid. Thanks
Hi Sam,
If you cut your fat intake too low it can make raising HDL difficult. While it's important to reduce total fat, especially saturated and trans fats, if you limit heart healthy fats too much you can make it difficult to raise HDL ("good") cholesterol levels.
Healthy fat sources include mono and poly-unsaturated fats. Here are examples of healthy fat sources to include in your diet in moderation:
Olive oil
Canola oil
Avocados
Seeds
Nuts
Peanut butter
Fish
Well done with the exercise - keep it up! As an FYI, exercise duration has a greater impact on HDL than intensity. So, working out an extra 10-15 minutes per session will do more to raise HDL versus a vigourous short workout.
All the best,
Lisa Nelson RD
Yes, I think a 5 month length of time is more than reasonable to see results. As far as fiber - fiber, especially soluble fiber, promotes a lower LDL cholesterol. It does not have a negative impact on HDL cholesterol levels. Here's a post for a few more details:
4 Tips to Lower Cholesterol with Fiber
All the best,
Lisa Nelson RD
How to Lower Cholesterol in 8 Simple Steps
Lisa,
I have one more question on raising HDL. I have read in quite a few places that eating half a raw onion daily raises HDL significantly. What is your opionion on this. Also, onion comes in different sizes so what does half an onion means.
Thanks
Now that is a connection I have not heard. My gut instinct says take it with a "grain of salt". If I come across actual research to support the claim I'll share it with you. Regardless, onions have many benefits so adding them to your diet more would be a positive step whether it directly impacts HDL or not. Picture one onion to be about the size of a baseball.
All the best,
Lisa Nelson RD
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Lisa,
Thanks for you feedback. I am paying more attention to my daily fat intake. I do eat a lot of nuts but I have reduced my meat intake especially red meat a lot. I try to eat tuna once a week. Also, I have a question about oatmeal. I have read that it reduces your choresterol. Does it mean that it reduces both LDL and HDL. I have been taking a high fiber Quaker Oat for the last 6 months. It has 10 gm of fiber including 8 soluble. Is it preventing my HDL to rise. On the exercise front I did Treadmill for 45 minutes 4 to 5 times a week for the past month. In the past I used to limit it to 30 minutes. I also do some weight training after my cardio. Do you have any idea how long it may take my HDL to move upward. I like it to reach 40 from 30 naturally. Do you think giving it 5 months is reasonable.