Your HDL is a little on the low side, but not terribly low. Low carbing is the best way to raise that number. Even if your doctor wants you to go on medication you don't *have* to do it. The doctor should be there to be a partner in your health care, not a tin-god dictator. The endocrinologist wanted to put me on statins when I showed up at her office with a total cholesterol of 295. And I just flat out told her that NOTHING ON EARTH would ever make me take statins, which I consider one of the devil's drugs. She was flabbergasted. I don't think she is used to patients second-guessing her like that. But I had gone to her for thyroid issues, and she wouldn't even treat me properly for that. When I finally went to see someone who was willing to treat my thyroid properly my total cholesterol dropped to 196 and my LDL dropped too.