How Exercise Affects Your Cholesterol Levels
- by Jimmy O'Neill
- Published on 6/19/06
- Article views: 268
Everyone already knows that exercise is an important part of a healthy lifestyle even if certain people choose not to exercise at all. The fact that only around 10% of American adults exercise at least three times a week however may indicate that many people are not aware of just how beneficial exercise really can be.
Well, consider this fact: An estimated 99.9 million American adults have total blood cholesterol values of 200 mg/dl (milligrams per deciliter) and higher, and of these about 34.5 million American adults have levels of 240 or above. In adults, total cholesterol levels of 240 mg/dl or higher are considered high risk. Levels from 200 to 239 mg/dl are considered borderline-high risk.
So then, what does this have to do with supporting a case to make exercise a priority? I mean how can exercise help with cholesterol levels anyway? Isn't high cholesterol only controllable by diet and medication?
Let's review the following: In a study reported in the 'Journal of the American Medical Association' in 1989, 13,000 men and women were studied for eight years. Risk factors for death from all diseases were studied and this was the conclusion: The data showed that an unfit man could reduce his risk of death from all diseases by some 37% and an unfit woman could reduce her risk by around 48%. The summary was that exercise not only lowered cholesterol levels significantly but also lowered the risk of death from heart disease as well as from all diseases.
Another study conducted by the 'Centers for Disease Control' in 1989 concluded that people who do not exercise have twice the risk of developing heart disease than those who do exercise. One study done at the University of California showed that married men aged 35 to 65 who started a regular exercise program had more sexual intercourse with their wives and had more orgasms than those who did not exercise. (If that's not a good enough reason to don those jogging shorts and weight lifting gloves, I don't know what is!)
Cholesterol is just another type of fat in your body. Since exercise helps to burn up fat in your body, this fat is also burned up as well during exercise. As a result of this, your cholesterol levels are reduced through exercise. But what kind of exercise is best for this? The long and short answer is; any kind of exercise! Even walking regularly has been shown to reduce cholesterol levels.
Of course limiting your intake of fatty cuts of meat and sticking to low-fat or even better, fat-free dairy products helps too. Also, eating plenty of fruits and vegetables, particularly high fiber ones, coupled with a moderate exercise program will surly help you win the battle against high cholesterol.
Jim O'Neill gives you tons of valuable information on the subjects of weight loss, fitness, and nutrition to make it easy
for you to live a healthy lifestyle. Sign up now for his free 7 part mini e-course at:
http://www.mrgymfitness.com/minicourse.php.
More Articles
-
-
-
» Latest articles
-
» Highest rated articles
- Exercises For Slim Thighs
The best thigh slimming exercises fall in two categories. These exercises are meant to burn fat and tone the thigh muscles. This process indirectly burns the excessive amount of fat in thigh region.
- Jogging - Health Benefits and How to Do it
Jogging gives joy, has positive effects on health and improves the physical condition. In the beginning, your jogging program must consist of short sessions on a plain ground, and with a moderate speed. Gradually you can lengthen the route and add intervals with higher speeds to your sessions.
- How Exercise Affects Your Cholesterol Levels
Everyone already knows that exercise is an important part of a healthy lifestyle even if certain people choose not to exercise at all. The fact that only around 10% of American adults exercise at least three times a week however may indicate that many people are not aware of just how beneficial exercise really can be.
- Horror Stories About Cellulite
Cellulite if often portrayed as an ailment, a horror, a get-rid-of-now affliction. One does not have to make an effort to read an article about the horrors of cellulite, there are enough, slap-on-the-face advertisements in almost each women's magazine that one comes across. Let us see what cellulite is.
- Can Diet And Exercise Help Prevent Cancer?
While everyone is well aware that proper diet and exercise are paramount to good health, still many people find it too much of an inconvenience to watch what they eat and to exercise. These people may feel that the benefits that they may get from all that effort is not worth the hassles of watching calories, cutting fat, running about, and moving weights around.
- Jogging - Health Benefits and How to Do it
Jogging gives joy, has positive effects on health and improves the physical condition. In the beginning, your jogging program must consist of short sessions on a plain ground, and with a moderate speed. Gradually you can lengthen the route and add intervals with higher speeds to your sessions.
- Can Diet And Exercise Help Prevent Cancer?
While everyone is well aware that proper diet and exercise are paramount to good health, still many people find it too much of an inconvenience to watch what they eat and to exercise. These people may feel that the benefits that they may get from all that effort is not worth the hassles of watching calories, cutting fat, running about, and moving weights around.
- How Exercise Affects Your Cholesterol Levels
Everyone already knows that exercise is an important part of a healthy lifestyle even if certain people choose not to exercise at all. The fact that only around 10% of American adults exercise at least three times a week however may indicate that many people are not aware of just how beneficial exercise really can be.
- Horror Stories About Cellulite
Cellulite if often portrayed as an ailment, a horror, a get-rid-of-now affliction. One does not have to make an effort to read an article about the horrors of cellulite, there are enough, slap-on-the-face advertisements in almost each women's magazine that one comes across. Let us see what cellulite is.
- Exercises For Slim Thighs
The best thigh slimming exercises fall in two categories. These exercises are meant to burn fat and tone the thigh muscles. This process indirectly burns the excessive amount of fat in thigh region.
- The Mysteries of SEO
SEO, or search engine optimization, is the most important element in building a successful website. Most people online have heard the term SEO and have some idea of what is involved yet it remains a mysterious process to many.
- How can Your SEO Keywords make Money?
As you likely know by now, there is a big difference between effective, quality website content, and search engine optimized (SEO) website content that will obtain the highest ranks in search engines and directories such as Google, Yahoo!, and MSN.
- How to write your first Ebook?
One of the most excellent ways to build your online income is by writing and distributing Ebooks. Ebooks can be a very helpful tool for marketing your business and they can also be big money makers.
- Top 10 Photo Recovery Tips
Perhaps you have a capacious memory card. Maybe you simply trust the technology of your latest digital gizmo to forever shield your data from harm.
- 3 Rules to Follow in Your Logo Design
When designing your own logo or getting it done by logo design professionals, ensure the following three basic rules and you will have a great and memorable corporate identity.
- Reiki and how it can help you Heal
Reiki is a valuable healing tool which involves the practitioner placing his or her hands on the client without actually manipulating the body in any way. This makes Reiki an ideal healing tool for people who suffer from all kinds of conditions, both physical and emotional. This article discusses what is involved in a Reiki session and what training a Reiki practitioner undergoes.
- A History of Vintage Automobiles - From 1916 to 1924
Before cars were around, people usually traveled distances using horse-drawn carriages. But as early as 1335 several bright minds have been trying to come up with a 'horseless carriage'.
- Common mistakes before starting a website
If you want your website to be a big hit then you need to avoid some common mistakes before starting one. Here you have a list of pitfalls that are designed for beginner and for many established ones too. Check out the common mistakes that have to be avoided for sure!
- How to Create a MySpace Layout
Creating a MySpace layout might seem tricky when you think about it but it is actually pretty easy. Here's a few steps that will help you in designing myspace templates.
- Ecommerce Checkout - Make Them Register
The world of ecommerce is expanding daily as more and more retailers take their business to the web in the hopes of attracting a percentage of those ever finicky web shoppers. As the amount of businesses open up ecommerce shops online, the amount of web development companies is also growing, offering ecommerce solutions for even the smallest of budgets. It is important that web developers understand the dynamics of the checkout process when discussing the options with the client.
