More than 102 million Americans have high cholesterol. A change in diet and exercise can help. Here are the six best exercises if you have high cholesterol.
Cholesterol is a fatty substance that circulates in our blood. Having too much can lead to blocked and narrow arteries, increasing the risk of cardiovascular disease.
In a study published in Lipids in Health and Disease, researchers found that exercise helps increase levels of good HDL cholesterol. In fact, women who were physically active had much higher levels of HDL cholesterol compared to sedentary women.
Exercises to Improve Cholesterol
Exercise can make a big difference to overall health. Researchers found that overweight adults who did cardio exercises and followed a low-cholesterol diet improved triglyceride levels and overall cholesterol.
1. Start with walking
Walking is a great way to start exercising if you’re not very active. It has less impact on your joints, and doctors say it has the same benefits as running.
Moreover, people who spent the same energy levels walking as those who chose running experienced lower cholesterol and blood pressure. Make sure to quicken your pace over time for better health results.
2. Try jogging
Running is a great exercise if your joints are healthy. It keeps you in good shape and helps with weight management.
Measure your pace though. Researchers found that long-distance runners showed better levels of HDL cholesterol and blood pressure versus short-distance runners.
3. Get your bike out
Since cycling is easier on the joints, it’s a good alternative to running and even walking. It’s also a great mode of transportation.
If you can bike to work or school, try it, as it will lower your risk of heart disease when done consistently.
4. Muscle-up
Aerobic exercises are great to start lowering cholesterol. However, research suggests that resistance training helps clear bad LDL cholesterol from the blood.
A combination of cardio and weight training helped people lose more weight than those who only tried aerobic exercises. It also helps improve cardiovascular health.
5. Get ready for yoga
Yoga is a gentle way of moving that brings many benefits. The meditation-like poses and deep-breathing exercises help with stress.
It’s also great at tackling cholesterol and reducing the risk of heart disease. People who did yoga regularly showed great improvement in cholesterol levels and blood pressure compared to people who didn’t exercise.
6. Pool time
Swimming provides fresh air and gentle exercise for joints. It also improves body weight, body fat distribution, and LDL cholesterol.
Swimming actually brought down the risk of all-cause death by an average of 50% in men who swam regularly, versus men who walked, ran, or were sedentary.
The Outlook
Regardless of which exercise you choose, getting active and moving can greatly reduce your risk of high cholesterol and heart disease. However, Improving your cholesterol requires more than just exercising.
To best tackle unhealthy cholesterol levels, try adding a healthy diet to your routine. Supplements also help get the nutrients that our food lacks.
L-arginine Plus works to open up your blood vessels for better circulation, supports stamina for better workouts, and can help with cholesterol and blood pressure. Try adding it to your routine to improve your cholesterol.