5 foods that boost your HDL

This Week's Tip 5 foods that boost your HDL So you got the results of your recent cholesterol test, and your HDL cholesterol came back lower than your doctor would like. Low HDL is a risk factor for heart disease, so you know that you need to elevate it...but how? When all the stories you read are talking about lowering your cholesterol, why would you want to increase this form of cholesterol? HDL (high density lipoprotein) is the ""good"" cholesterol. Put simply, it acts like a cholesterol dump truck, gathering ""bad"" cholesterol from the arteries and carrying it back to the liver for clearance. This heart protective effect may even slow the buildup of plaque in the arterial walls of the heart. HDL may also have some anti-inflammatory effects that are beneficial to your heart. That's why you want your HDL to be high, so it can better carry out these responsibilities and protect your ticker. The following foods will help give your HDL a boost so it can better protect your heart. How to Raise Your HDL More Tips for a Healthy Heart   Heart Friendly Recipe Pumpkin Dip Try this dip on a toasted whole-wheat bagel at breakfast or with apple slices or whole-grain crackers for a snack. It's even good with carrots. Get the Recipe See More Healthy Heart Recipes Nutritional Info Servings Per Recipe: 16  Amount Per Serving  Calories: 30.7 Total Fat: 1.7 g Cholesterol: 5.6 mg Sodium: 85.3 mg Total Carbs: 1.6 g   Dietary Fiber: 0.2 g Protein: 2.3 g View full nutritional breakdown of Pumpkin Dip by ingredient     From Our Healthy Heart Community *** Game = Last letter Creates a New Word (Team Forum) NEW GAME: Two words... change one. (Team Forum) More Forum Posts...       Was this e-mail forwarded to you by a friend? Join the mailing list. Change your e-mail address   You get 1 SparkPoint for reading today's email.   You received this email because you signed up for one of SparkPeople's email newsletters. To unsubscribe please do not reply to this message. Instead, you can use this link to unsubscribe from this newsletter. To remove yourself by postal mail, send a letter or postcard with your email address to: SparkPeople.com, 310 Culvert Street Suite 301, Cincinnati, OH 45202 SparkPeople.com offers general information and is for educational purposes only. sparkpeople.com is not a prescription system and is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. You should consult your health-care provider before starting any nutrition or fitness program, and should consult with your provider about any concerns or questions. © 1999-2014 SparkPeople, All Rights Reserved | Terms and Conditions | Privacy Policy