Have a drink or two for your heart

We are told that we need HDL or high-density lipoprotein - good cholesterol - for our hearts. HDL is complicated and

Certain kinds of HDL could even increase inflammation, clogging arteries rather than clearing them, and doctors currently do not have a simple way to tell this “bad” type of “good” cholesterol from the genuinely beneficial kind in their patients. Right now, only expensive tests used in research settings can sort this out.

“The safest way to raise HDL is by weight loss, exercise and smoking cessation,” Mehdi Shishehbor, D.O., said.

And the good news?

The review also found support for moderate alcohol use — one or two drinks a day for men, one for women — although physicians do not recommend that nondrinkers take up drinking to protect their hearts. Raising HDL by eating fish or taking fish oil to increase intake of omega-3 fatty acids is another effective strategy, the review suggested.

HT Newswire.