People are aware of cholesterol and it's various aspects. In fact, a human body requires enough cholesterol to generate healthy cells but high levels of cholesterol may lead to heart diseases. There are two types of Cholesterol in our body, HDL and LDL.

The LDL (low density lipoprotein) cholesterol can build up on the walls of your arteries and increase your chances of getting heart attack, stroke and other complications to arteries. This is because the LDL cholesterol is known as bad cholesterol. Most of the cholesterol in your body is LDL and if your LDL is 190 or more it is considered as very high. The lower your LDL cholesterol the lower your risk of health hazards.

While the other is HDL (High density lipoprotein) known as good cholesterol. HDL takes LDL to your liver where it is flushed out of your body. Thus HDL cleans your body from the unwanted LDL. HDL protects you from heart attack and strokes. HDL also has antioxident and anti-inflammatory effects. Higher the HDL cholesterol, the lower is your risk of heart diseases.

Medical experts recommend to keep HDL level between 40-60 milligram/dL.

Therefore, to maintain a good heart health by increasing HDL level, here are some guidelines for you:

1. Exercise

As you all know that exercise will bring out the total cholesterol while increasing the proportion of HDL in your blood. Hence regular exercises such as walking, aerobic exercise, strength training etc. will help your heart pumping in the best way possible and is effective raising the HDL cholesterol.

Exercising at least three to four times a week for about 20 minutes will help you to improve HDL.

Also doing exercise in the early morning sunlight can increase HDL cholesterol.

Being physically active is important for heart health.

2. Healthy diet

Try not to eat things that are high in saturated fat,sugar etc. Saturated fat comes from things like butter, oil and that fat when we have it gets converted in the body into bad cholesterol. So you should avoid these foods and instead use unsaturated fat such as olive oil etc. HDL level could be improved by having lower fat diet and including high fiber food in your diet.

Soluble fiber such as that is mostly seen in fruits,vegetables, plant sterols and nuts like almonds, pistachios, peanuts actually reduces the cholesterol level. Consuming fishes like Salmon which contains Omega 3 fatty acids also helps to improve HDL cholesterol. Beans, brans, brown rice, oats can be added in your regular diet.

Include food items that contain vitamin D in your diet.

3. Don't smoke

Everyone knows that smoking is not good for health.It causes heart disease and lung cancer. Smoking can affect overall functioning of the lungs.

Studies say that, by giving up smoking HDL cholesterol level would increase.

4. Weight loss

Maintain a healthy weight, or lose excess pounds if needed. That is also a healthy way for raising the HDL cholesterol level. Obesity is associated with low HDL. Studies show that, in obese peole, weight loss of can increase the level of HDL

5. Medication

HDL levels are at times improved by drugs for lowering LDL.

Drugs that contain testosterone and other anabolic steroids can lower your HDL cholesterol levels. Keeping away from these drugs may help increase your HDL numbers.

6. Aim for blood pressure of <130/80 mmHg.

Blood pressure within the level is very important for a healthy body. Maintain it below to avoid hypertension which is dangerous to health. Hypertension may lead to stroke and heart attack. Also blood pressure can trigger an increase in LDL. So inorder to improve the HDL cholesterol in your body, maintain your blood pressure.

7. Manage your blood sugar

As in the case of blood pressure, blood sugar is also to be maintained with the limit. It is very important to maintain your blood sugar level, especially if you have type 2 diabetes which is chronic medical condition in which sugar or glucose level build up in your bloodstream.

8. Stop consuming alcohol and sugary drinks

Consuming too much of alcohol and sugary drinks can reduce the level of HDL in the body. And too much consumption of these can increase blood pressure and sugar in your body which in turn affect the HDL cholesterol level.

9. Sufficient sleep

If you are someone who sleeps sufficiently, then rejoice, your HDL cholesterol will improve. Sleep improves metabolism of your body and regulate the cholesterol level in the body. Lack of sleep can cause low HDL. So, get good quality sleep and increase HDL cholesterol.

10. Follow a regular and healthy life style.

Change your life style, from irregular to regular. Following healthy life style can automatically increase HDL cholesterol in your body. To simply do so, follow all the above mentioned steps. HDL level in your body will increase as much as you take care of yourself.

Cholesterol level should be measured once in an every year by everyone over the age of 20. If you have high cholesterol, always follow take these steps mentioned above to change your life style.All these steps will maintain the HDL cholesterol at the best level. Your body is a reflection of what you eat and how you treat your body. Taking good nutrition, exercising regularly, giving up addictions like smoking, alcohol, getting enough rest all these are infact helping your body to function smoothly. Remember it's important for everyone to maintain good health and better lifestyle.