Personal Fitness: Cholesterol, Exercise and Diet - Hold the Statins Please
Cholesterol has been linked to atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries) since the 1980's.
But it would be impossible to be physically fit without it.
Many people are surprised to learn that cholesterol has a number of essential functions in the human body.
It is used in tissue repair; for maintaining the fluidity of all cell membranes; and for the manufacture of bile salts, steroid hormones (including the sex hormones, estrogen and testosterone), and vitamin D.
Despite recent reports of a decline in population-wide cholesterol levels, it is still estimated that only 49% of U.
S.
adults have desirable cholesterol levels.
Proper diet can decrease blood cholesterol levels.
Soluble fiber, polyunsaturated fat (like the omega-3 fatty acids in fish), and monounsaturated fat (olive oil) may all lower cholesterol levels.
One of the primary causes of high LDL ('bad') cholesterol is too much fat or sugar in the diet, a problem especially true in the United States.
The highest cholesterol content is found in red meats, shellfish, and dairy products.
Even so, the cholesterol level of a food has little effect on serum cholesterol levels.
It has been shown that the absorption of cholesterol is more a function of the accompanying dietary fat than of cholesterol itself.
Saturated fats are the ones to look out for.
One general indication of high cholesterol is obesity.
Other factors like nicotine and alcohol increase cholesterol deposits in blood vessels and your chances of developing high cholesterol increase after the age of 45.
Exercise is Extremely Important Exercise does a good job of lowering bad cholesterol and raising good cholesterol.
Your fitness program should consist of 30 minutes of vigorous aerobic exercise 3-5 times a week.
Regular aerobic exercise helps to reduce deposition of cholesterol in blood vessels.
Exercises that cause the heart to beat faster include fast walking, bicycling, jogging, swimming, roller blading and walking up stairs.
Other alternative treatments include high doses of niacin, garlic, soy protein, alga and the Chinese medicine supplement Cholestin (red yeast fermented with rice).
Read This Twice In a study of 10,000 people comparing those taking a statin (an often prescribed cholesterol medication) to those that didn't, but maintained their weight and exercised, there was absolutely no difference in the final outcome.
But it would be impossible to be physically fit without it.
Many people are surprised to learn that cholesterol has a number of essential functions in the human body.
It is used in tissue repair; for maintaining the fluidity of all cell membranes; and for the manufacture of bile salts, steroid hormones (including the sex hormones, estrogen and testosterone), and vitamin D.
Despite recent reports of a decline in population-wide cholesterol levels, it is still estimated that only 49% of U.
S.
adults have desirable cholesterol levels.
Proper diet can decrease blood cholesterol levels.
Soluble fiber, polyunsaturated fat (like the omega-3 fatty acids in fish), and monounsaturated fat (olive oil) may all lower cholesterol levels.
One of the primary causes of high LDL ('bad') cholesterol is too much fat or sugar in the diet, a problem especially true in the United States.
The highest cholesterol content is found in red meats, shellfish, and dairy products.
Even so, the cholesterol level of a food has little effect on serum cholesterol levels.
It has been shown that the absorption of cholesterol is more a function of the accompanying dietary fat than of cholesterol itself.
Saturated fats are the ones to look out for.
One general indication of high cholesterol is obesity.
Other factors like nicotine and alcohol increase cholesterol deposits in blood vessels and your chances of developing high cholesterol increase after the age of 45.
Exercise is Extremely Important Exercise does a good job of lowering bad cholesterol and raising good cholesterol.
Your fitness program should consist of 30 minutes of vigorous aerobic exercise 3-5 times a week.
Regular aerobic exercise helps to reduce deposition of cholesterol in blood vessels.
Exercises that cause the heart to beat faster include fast walking, bicycling, jogging, swimming, roller blading and walking up stairs.
Other alternative treatments include high doses of niacin, garlic, soy protein, alga and the Chinese medicine supplement Cholestin (red yeast fermented with rice).
Read This Twice In a study of 10,000 people comparing those taking a statin (an often prescribed cholesterol medication) to those that didn't, but maintained their weight and exercised, there was absolutely no difference in the final outcome.