Today, people all over the world know how dangerous high cholesterol or high LDL (low-density lipoprotein) cholesterol can be. If you ignore this problem, bad cholesterol can build up along the insides of your arteries and block the blood from flowing to your heart properly. Cholesterol is a fat-like substance that can over time even obstruct the flow of blood completely, causing heart attacks or other major cardiovascular diseases. So it is important to lower LDL cholesterol in your body before it becomes a concern. One of the most effective ways to do this is by exercising.
Reasons why exercising can help in lowering LDL cholesterol
- Exercising helps you to maintain weight and stops you from getting overweight. And research shows that excess weight can lead to an increase in the level of LDL in your body, causing many heart ailments. Hence, exercising is a great way to stay both in shape and healthy.
- When you exercise, enzymes are secreted in your body, which carry the LDL in your blood to your liver. Here, the LDL cholesterol gets transformed into bile, which is then excreted by your body or used up for digestion.
- Regular exercising increases the size of the protein particles in your blood, which are responsible for carrying cholesterol. The bigger they get, the harder it becomes for them to settle on the inner linings of your blood vessels and arteries. Hence, the risk of heart ailments reduces.
- Vigorous exercising has been found to be especially helpful in increasing the level of HDL (high-density lipoprotein) or good cholesterol in the body. This automatically helps to lower LDL cholesterol. You must take up running or fast jogging or cycling to achieve this. Just going for a short walk won’t help. Following a balanced diet without fatty foods or excessive red meat is also recommended.
While you are on the journey to reduce cholesterol levels, make sure you consult a doctor first before exercising or changing your diet. He or she will be able to check how your body responds to different exercises and foods, and guide you accordingly to keep heart diseases at bay.