Handling Stress Properly Increases Good Cholesterol
(HealthDay News, 8/20/07)

Loriena A. Yancura of the University of Hawaii, and team, asked 716 older men, who were participating in an aging study, about the most stressful situation they had experienced in the past week. The investigators had each subject select from 26 coping strategies,” and rated the men based on the hostility they displayed and other traits. The scientists also took fasting blood samples from the men and assessed HDL (good) cholesterol, LDL (bad) cholesterol and triglycerides. The team found lower HDL and higher triglyceride levels in men using hostility to cope, as well as those using self-blame and isolation. These findings suggest that keeping calm in stressful situations may protect the cardiovascular system by raising levels of HDL cholesterol, which keeps arteries clear.

( American Psychological Association's annual convention, 2007, San Francisco)