Facts

• To remember which kind of cholesterol is good, think of LDL as lousy and HDL as healthy ("L" for lousy cholesterol and "H" for healthy cholesterol). Cholesterol is not entirely bad. In fact, it aids in building a body's cells and also produces sex hormones. In contrast with the desired low levels of LDL, the higher a person's HDL levels, the better. An average person needs an HDL level of 60 milligrams per deciliter of blood (mg/dl). Men generally have between 40-50 mg/dl and women come in around 50-60 mg/dl. The American Heart Association stresses that levels below 40 are too low for anyone.
  
  

Role

• The Mayo Clinic describes HDL as a cholesterol scavenger, carrying one fourth to one third of cholesterol to the liver where it can be removed from the body. So, the more HDL a person has, the less LDL they will have. Studies have shown that HDL may also have anti-inflammatory and anti-clotting effects. In fact, the American Heart Association says some experts believe HDL not only removes excess cholesterol but also slows its buildup. The keys to achieving desirable HDL levels are lifestyle changes.
  
  

Smoking

• If there weren't already enough reasons for smokers to quit, smoking also lowers HDL and makes blood more likely to clot. It also negates HDL's benefits by changing its chemical makeup. Quitting smoking, by itself without any other changes, has been shown to increase HDL by 10 percent.
  
  

Diet & Exercise

• As with most health conditions, proper diet and exercise are vital to achieving the best results. Studies show that losing two pounds will increase HDL by .35 mg/dl. In fact, after two months aerobic exercise, averaging 120 minutes per week, inactive adults increased their HDL levels by about 5 percent. The American Heart Association advises that while 25-35 percent of daily calories come from fat, only 7 percent of total calories come from saturated fat. The remaining percentage should be obtained from monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats. These heart healthy fats can be found in olive, peanut and canola oils, as well as nuts, fish and foods with Omega 3 fatty acids.
  
  

Memory

• While HDL's relationship to brain function is not entirely clear, low levels of HDL are suspected to cause memory loss for the middle aged, and dementia in later years. This may be because of HDL's influence on the formation of fatty deposits in the brain and such deposits are linked to the onset of dementia.
  
  

Medication

• For those who need prescription drugs to help regulate cholesterol levels, the ideal medication lowers LDL cholesterol while increasing HDL's benefits. According to the Mayo Clinic, Niacin is especially effective because it increases HDL up to 30 percent.