Inflammation has also been receiving a lot of press coverage as being one of culprits for heart disease, well guess what? HDL is also an anti-inflammatory agent, helping to repair what artery disease. It can also help keep blood clots from blocking arteries.

So now all buzz is on good guy, which unlike LDL, that should be a low as possible; higher your level of HDL cholesterol better for your health. So now you can give your health a natural, zero cost boost and reduce your risk of heart disease and stroke.

So, what should your HDL cholesterol levels be?

For some time it has been known that people who live into their 90's without evidence of heart disease, typically have very high levels of HDL. You should do your best to get your HDL levels up to at least 60 milligrams; levels below 40 mg for men and 50 mg for women, according to most important international health institutions, are associated with an increased risk of heart disease.

Come on over to our site now by selecting link below and find out how to get YOUR levels of HDL up to standard. Don’t worry we don’t push supplements or pharmaceuticals; we just give you tips you need.

Moreover it seems old saying that “vino fa buon sangue” wine makes good bllod is true. Alcohol, particularly red wine, consumed in moderation, helps to raise HDL. More than one or two drinks a day can be very detrimental for your health.

Drug Therapies There are several classes of drugs currently prescribed for cholesterol disorders. Even though their prime job is to decrease “bad” LDL, they do also increase HDL levels.

Statins This class of drug can increase HDL cholesterol anywhere from 3 to 10 percent. Being as they are most effective drug for reducing harmful LDL, 3-10% isn’t so bad as a fringe benefit. However, other classes of drugs are more effective on HDL, while not quite so effective on getting “bad” LDL down to desired levels.

Niacin This class of drug is actually from B group of vitamins; however it is a much more potent source than can be found at your local health store. Niacin, or nicotinic acid, can raise HDL levels by 15 to 30 percent. Although this is an effective medication if your suffer from diabetes it is very unlikely that your doctor will put you on this class of drugs.

Fibrates This class of drug is commonly prescribes for triglyceride disorders. However triglycerides and HDL go hand in hand. When triglycerides are high HDL levels are commonly low, and vice-versa. This class of drug generally raises HDL by 10-15%.

Drugs are drugs and don’t come without risks. In fact, some doctors, in order to get their patients cholesterol levels to desired levels, are prescribing statins in together with nicotinic acid or fibrates. This can increase risk of liver dysfunction or muscle toxicity, a rare but potentially serious complication of statins. This may also occur if combines with some antibiotics or anti-depressants.

From methods above, you can see that to increase HDL cholesterol levels can be with or without risks; and with or without costs. If you truly value your health, and your money, you should seriously try lifestyle modifications. If you still need drugs, if you implement recommended lifestyle modification dosages are almost guaranteed to be lower. However, never alter dosage of any medication without speaking to your doctor. For part 1 of this article, please visit following page: http://www.allabout-heart-disease.com/hdl-cholesterol.html