Good Cholesterol: Nowadays the number of heart patients has increased in the country and the world. The main reason behind increasing heart disease is the increasing bad cholesterol level in the body. Due to poor lifestyle and eating habits, heart disease is now rapidly affecting the youth. In such a situation, to keep the heart healthy, it is important to increase good cholesterol (HDL) in the body. How much cholesterol should there be in the body? What does it do and how will it grow? If you also want to know this, then MBBS and MD, Dr. Bimal Chhajer, founder of Saul Heart Center, is telling that what should be the level of good cholesterol in your body for a healthy heart?

What is HDL cholesterol?
HDL cholesterol means good cholesterol. It is a protein fat molecule that floats in the blood. It is called a garbage truck because it helps in reducing the blockage in the blood. It is very helpful in reversing bad cholesterol. The apolipoprotein A, A1 and A2 present in it helps in removing our blockage. Therefore it can be called good protein.

What does HDL cholesterol do?
HDL cholesterol passes through the arteries and on the way collects the bad cholesterol and extra plaque stuck to it and takes it to the liver. Once there, they easily get released from the body, thereby clearing the blockage in the arteries.

How much should be good cholesterol?
It should be one fourth more than total cholesterol. That means if your total cholesterol is 200 then your good cholesterol should be above 50. That means remember your cholesterol not by numbers but by ratios. If your total cholesterol is 100 then your good cholesterol should be around 25.

How to increase good cholesterol?
To increase good cholesterol, it is important that you adopt a healthy lifestyle. Take a walk. Eat plenty of green vegetables. Reduce oil intake in your diet. Don’t smoke. Following some good habits will reduce bad cholesterol and increase good cholesterol in the body.