Researchers have known for a long time that having higher HDL levels helps protect against atherosclerosis and heart attacks … but now, there’s evidence that it may also help lower the risk of cancer.
An interesting study by researchers at Tufts University School of Medicine was publicized in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology. For a brief summary of the study, check out Dr. Blyweiss’ full article called Good Cholesterol Cuts Cancer Risk.
Researchers still aren’t quite sure how “good cholesterol” affects cancer risk but there are about 4 hypothesis of why there’s a connection.
- Having higher HDL levels boosts the immune system’s ability to fight precancerous lesions and cancerous tumors lurking in the body.
- Higher HDL levels indicate a healthier lifestyle. People who exercise regularly, eat healthy, and don’t smoke tend to have higher HDL levels.
- HDL has antioxidant properties that neutralize chemical compounds in the body that contribute to cancer by damaging cells.
- HDL may reduce inflammation, which is associated with heart disease and cancer.
Unfortunately, it’s not all that easy to raise your good cholesterol. There aren’t any prescription drugs or “magic bullets” to increase your levels.
The best bet for you to increase your HDL levels is to adopt a healthy lifestyle. Eating right and getting plenty of exercise appears to help with this. There also seems to be a connection between “good cholesterol” and foods that contain monounsaturated fats (like olive oil, nuts, and the oil in salad dressings). Eating these foods, along with foods rich in Omega-3s are believed to be good for increasing HDL.
One more thing, if you smoke—you should quit right away. Nothing lowers HDL levels faster than smoking. It doesn’t even matter how long or how much you’ve smoked, if you quit, your risk of heart disease, stroke, and cancer drops almost immediately.
So good luck, and please post a comment below if you have anything to add!
