I've written often about the perils of having lower amounts of high-density lipoprotein (HDL), known as the "good" cholesterol, most recently about the dangers low-fat diets represent to the heart. This study is just further confirmation of the health benefits of high HDL levels.

Either young or old, by modifying your diet according to your own nutritional type, you can raise your HDL significantly. Exercise, in the form of a good cardiovascular program, can also serve you well.

Most people are content with walking 30 minutes a day a few times a week. While this is certainly better than lying on the couch watching TV, it will not produce the heart benefits that you seek.

You need to exercise at a level that makes it somewhat difficult to talk to a person next to you. If it is too difficult to talk then the exertion is probably a bit excessive and the intensity should be slightly reduced.

For most people, walking outside will just not cut it as their bodies will rapidly adjust to the exercise, and it will not provide enough stress to yield the necessary benefits. If you are able to jog or run, then exercising outdoors will work just fine. However, if you have a knee problem or if the exercise makes you feel worse, then you should not do that form of exercise.

Another caution is necessary if you already have severe heart disease. If that is the case, you should have a professional evaluation as you may require a supervised exercise program.

Ideally for most people, exercise should continue for about one hour as many times a week as possible. Once your weight reduces to normal, the exercise can be reduced to three times a week. However, the vast majority of people seem to require six or seven days of intense exercise a week to obtain maximum weight loss and cardiovascular benefits.

While I am a major fan of strength training, I haven't been convinced of its value for people who need to lose weight and are time crunched. Most people have limited time for exercise, and if they need to lose weight and have limited time, I normally advise them to do cardio exercises exclusively.

If they have time for both cardio and strength training exercise, then it is usually wise to have a minimum of 48 to 72 hours of recovery after an intense bout of strength training. I strongly advise against more frequent strength training, as this can easily be counterproductive.

One of the most practical ways to keep your HDL levels in the optimal range is by cooking with coconut oil. Coconut oil contains no dangerous trans-fats, which are found in vegetable oils (including olive oil), margarine, shortening and more. Trans-fats can raise LDLs or "bad" cholesterol levels and lead to clogged arteries, heart disease, type 2 diabetes and more.

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