Exercise Lowers Bad Cholesterol Level

Being overweight is symptomatic of high cholesterol levels.  Exercising can, however, help you lose or maintain weight and keep a constant check at your cholesterol levels. Exercise, in fact in any form, be it every day activity like cleaning the backyard or a structured exercise regime can significantly lower cholesterol in numerous ways.

•    Exercise increases HDL or good cholesterol level in the body and simultaneously works on reducing bad cholesterol or LDL that cause artery clogging and increase the risk of developing heart diseases.

•    Exercise helps one lose and maintain healthy weight.

•    Exercise tones your whole body and promotes circulation of body fluids. Moreover, it also helps in clearing clots in blood vessels to make our heart stronger.

Earlier, researchers weren’t too sure about whether exercise can lower bad cholesterol levels. A major cause of confusion was arising from the fact that studies conducted focused on the effects of both dietary patterns and exercise on cholesterol levels. And, it subsequently became difficult to determine which out of the two was actually lowering bad cholesterol.

But recent studies, on careful examination, have found out that exercise does reduce bad cholesterol level.

How does exercise lower cholesterol level:

• Exercise expels LDL from your body by stimulating enzymes to move LDL from blood and blood vessels to the liver. Once LDL reaches the liver it is converted into bile or is excreted. So, if you want to get rid of life-threatening health conditions and mobilize LDL for utitilty purpose, then don’t laze around. Exercise.

• Exercise increases the size of protein particles. Combination of cholesterol and protein particles is known as lipoprotein. Some combinations are dense while some are quite big and equally dangerous. Smaller ones can actually squeeze into lining of the heart and blood vessels and cause an apparent damage i.e. clogging the blood vessels. But once you start exercising, the size of smaller protein particles increases and thus fails to enter blood vessels and the lining of our heart.

So, now that you know that exercising reduces cholesterol levels you better chart out an exercise regime. If you like then keep in mind the following guidelines:

• The American Heart Association recommends that you work out for at least 30 minutes per day. But, if you are looking at shedding those extra kilos then an hour.

• You may choose from these moderate intensity exercises such as walking, cycling, swimming or jogging. Jogging on tread mill at a low speed can also do good to your heart.

• Find an activity that you love whether it is taking your dog for a walk or playing with it for half an hour in the playground.

Now, what are you waiting for? Don’t be a spoilt sport. Put on your track suit and exercise with your buddies!