Reduce Your Cholesterol With Exercise

In recent years, there has been a great deal of concern in the United States about the levels of cholesterol in the American diet. Cholesterol is a fatty substance that is necessary for healthy hormone levels, cell membranes and the ability to properly synthesize vitamin D in the body. Fat enters the blood stream where it helps to transport other fats through the blood stream. When the body has too much cholesterol, it can build up on the walls of the arteries where it can block blood flow and may cause a heart attack or a stroke.

A healthy diet in combination with exercise may help reduce excess fat. Exercise that reduces body fat and the resulting weight loss may contribute to a significant decrease in blood cholesterol levels. People who are overweight tend to have unhealthy levels of the "bad" cholesterol known as LDL or low-density lipoprotein in their blood. LDL has been directly linked to heart disease and heart attacks due to blocked arteries.

Many researchers believe that exercise stimulates the body to produce enzymes that help remove LDL fats from the blood stream and from the walls of arteries. The LDL cholesterol is then carried to the liver where it is converted to bile that is important for digestion. Excess LDL cholesterol that is not used in bile production is excreted from the body. Consequently, the more a person exercises, the more LDL cholesterol is removed from the blood and the blood vessels.

Exercise also increases protein particles that help to carry LDL cholesterol in the blood. When proteins combine with LDL cholesterol, the molecule is called a lipoprotein. Small, densely packed lipoproteins are dangerous, because they can attach to the lining of arteries and veins where they can cause a blockage that could result in a heart attack or a stroke. Exercising increases the size of these proteins so they are less likely to attach to the inside of blood vessels.

Even if you don't change your diet, exercise alone may benefit you by helping to reduce your blood fat levels. Moderate exercise alone without any other changes has been determined to reduce fat levels. However, it is important to eat a healthy diet and lose weight for optimum cholesterol levels. Consume nutrient-dense foods and exercise regularly to further reduce the amount of LDL fat in your blood. Some foods that may help reduce cholesterol include oats, barley, nuts, fish, fruits, vegetables, flaxseed, soy protein and olive oil.

Robin Reichert is a certified nutrition consultant, certified personal trainer and freelance writer. She has been involved in the health and fitness industry for over 10 years. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in psychology from the University of San Francisco and a Master of Science in natural health from Clayton College. Robin's goal is to make every personal training session fun and effective for her clients. Her services include both in-person and online personal training at trainwithmeonlinetoday.com trainwithmeonlinetoday.com Lose up to 10 lbs with a 24-DAY WEIGHT LOSS CHALLENGE! Visit my website to get started today!