Exercise To Improve Cholesterol And Enhance Quality Of Health

Many people do not realize the significant health benefits that are obtained by including physical activity and exercise into their daily routine. In fact, physical activity and planned exercise should be part of every person’s lifestyle. Just a little physical activity and exercise will result in some health-related benefits, while more physical activity and exercise can result in even greater health benefits. So if you are physically inactive, becoming active will cause some blood lipid and lipoprotein change, but if you are already physically active or follow a planned exercise program and have elevated HDL-C levels, you will need to incorporate more physical activity and planned exercise in order to give additional lipid and lipoprotein changes, you need to include planned exercise in your daily routine. You must understand that the more you exercise, the greater the lipid and lipoprotein changes you are likely to achieve and when you incorporate more physical activity or planned exercise in your lifestyle and then maintain this activity level throughout your life, the health-related benefits continue to develop and thus achieving a lifelong fitness regime.

Through proper exercise and nutritional counseling and adherence to a healthy lifestyle, most people can control their blood cholesterol, but due to genetic conditions some individuals require medications to lower their blood cholesterol. Even responses to dietary changes are influenced by genetic factors. For example, some people have low cholesterol despite consuming a diet high in saturated fat, being obese, and getting little exercise. At the same time, some people have an unacceptable blood cholesterol and lipoprotein profile despite careful attention to health-related factors. Likewise, the effect of exercise on blood cholesterol and lipoproteins can be influenced by genetics (J. Larry Durstine. Phd, 2006).

Many people are not sure whether walking or jogging is the best type, or mode of exercise to get the greatest lipid and lipoprotein change. The answer is easy: you can get the same lipid and lipoprotein change regardless of the mode of exercise you choose, and there are many exercises, such as Tai Chi, Wushu, cycling, rowing and hiking to choose from. Your ultimate goal is to expend energy equal to 1,200 to 1,500 kcal per week. This can also be achieved with different mode of exercise which can deliver this required amount of energy expenditure.

As mentioned above, the intensity of the exercise session, or simply put how hard you work, is important. However, although exercise intensity has some role in optimizing lipid and lipoprotein changes, the most important consideration is the volume of exercise completed. You may argue that the faster and harder you work, the greater the volume of exercise you complete in a set time period. Unfortunately, this argument is not always true. If the exercise intensity is too high, you may not be able to exercise long enough to reach the required volume of exercise necessary to optimize your blood lipid and lipoprotein profile. The appropriate exercise intensity changes from 40% to 60% of your maximal exercise level; it is the work rate achieved by brisk walking or slow jogging for at least 30 minutes. This can also be achieved by continuous practice of Tai Chi routine with wrist weights for at least 45min.

Finally, some people’s bodies will respond to increased physical activity and planned exercise programming by improving the blood lipid and lipoprotein profile, but some will not. Many other factors contribute to your lipid and lipoprotein profile, and one of these factors is genetics. There is evidence that most people respond to exercise, or are known as responders, while there are also few individuals who do not respond to exercise or respond with less than optimal lipid and lipoprotein changes are referred to as nonresponders. The lipoprotein Lp(a) is a good example. Exercise does not affect a change in this lipoprotein because it is genetically determined.

References

BAECHLE, T. R. & W.EARLE, R. (2000) Essentials of Strength Training and Conditioning/National Strength and Conditioning, Human Kinetics.

BROWN. S. P (2001) Introduction to Exercise Science, Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.

GERSHON TENENBAUM. MARCY P. DRISCOLL (2005) Method of Research in Sport Science: Quantitative and Qualitative Approaches, UK, Meyer & Meyer Sport.

HEISERMAN, D. L. (2006) Introduction to Human Physiology, SweetHaven Publishing Services

J. LARRY DURSTINE. PHD (2006) Action Plan For High Cholesterol – Your guide to preventing plaque and maintaining a healthier heart, USA, Human Kinetics.

JAY HOFFMAN (2006) Norms for Fitness, Performance, and Health, United States, Human Kinetics.

MARIEB, N. E. (2006) Essential of Human Anatomy & Physiology, San Francisco, Pearson Benkamin Cummings.

MCARDLE, W. D., KATCH, F. I. & KATCH, V. L. (2007) Exercise Physiology, Energy, Nutrition & Human Performance, Baltimore, Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.

MCGINNIS & PETER MERTON (2005) Biomechanics of Sport and Exercise, United States, Human Kinetics.

MITCHELL H. WHALEY, P. D., FACSM (2006) ACSM’s Resources Manual for Guidelines for Exercise Testing and Prescription, USA, Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.

TAKESHIMA, N, R., N. L., R., M. E., I., M. , M., K., D & LEE, S. (2006) Functional fitness gain varies in older adults depending on exercise mode. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 39, 2036-2043.

THORNTON, E. W., SYKES, K. S., & TANG, W. K (2004) Health benefits of Tai Chi exercise: improved balance and blood pressure in middle-aged women. Health Promotion International, 19, 33-38.