Exercise is the Prescription for High Cholesterol

If you have high cholesterol, I have the prescription to help you lower it.

Exercise lowers blood pressure and improves cholesterol levels

These days it takes more than an apple a day to keep the doctor off your back.

The good doc is going to pester you about your blood pressure and cholesterol levels - apple or not. And who can blame him?

According to the American Heart Association, 105.2 million adults have borderline to high risk blood cholesterol levels. In addition, nearly one in three adults suffers from high blood pressure. And these numbers grow every year.

So what do you do? Pop a pill and try not to think about it? Or maybe you don't even bother to have your blood pressure and cholesterol checked - what you don't know can't hurt you, right?

Have you had your cholesterol and blood pressure checked lately? You should. If they are high, these conditions can be deadly and can sneak up on you.

What's so bad about high blood pressure and cholesterol levels? In a nutshell, these conditions raise your chances for having a stroke, kidney failure, heart disease or heart attack. Here's the lowdown:

Blood Pressure is recorded in two numbers. The first describes your systolic blood pressure. This is the pressure when your heart is squeezing blood out. The second is your diastolic blood pressure. This is the pressure between heartbeats, when your heart is filling with blood.

The ideal blood pressure to have is 120/80 or lower. Blood pressure that falls between 120/80 and 140/90 is considered to be prehypertension - meaning that your blood pressure is higher than normal. If your blood pressure is 140/90 or higher then you officially have high blood pressure.

Cholesterol is also recorded in two numbers - high - density lipoproteins (HDL) and low - density lipoproteins (LDL). The distinction between HDL and LDL is actually quite important - LDL delivers cholesterol to your body while HDL removes cholesterol from your bloodstream. In other words, HDL cholesterol is good and LDL cholesterol is bad.

When there is extra cholesterol in your bloodstream it lines your arteries, causing them to narrow. These deposits can block an artery that flows to your heart - resulting in a heart attack, or they can block an artery that flows to your brain - resulting in a stroke.

The ideal cholesterol level to have is a number less than 200. Between 200 and 239 you are considered to have borderline high cholesterol, and 240 or higher puts you in a danger zone.

Will exercise really help lower your high blood pressure and improve my cholesterol levels? It sure will - and here's how:

When your heart muscles are weak, it will pump less blood with greater effort. When you exercise, you will strengthen you heart and its muscles and as a result, train your heart to pump more blood with less work. If you exercise, and increase the strength of your heart muscles, then less pressure will be exerted on your arteries.

Exercise Increases HDL levels in some people - this means a decrease in your risk for heart disease. Other heart disease risk factors such as weight, diabetes and high blood pressure all show improvement with regular exercise.

Let's be totally honest for a moment. Even if you are taking medication, the better solution is to fix the problem, and rather than hold
the condition off.

If exercise isn't currently part of your lifestyle you will be amazed at how it will improve your health once you start. I'm sure your doctor could share a myriad of success stories involving people just like you who dramatically improved their blood pressure and cholesterol through exercise.

Health. Isn't that what we all ask for in the New Year?

Exercise is the answer.

The benefits of a consistent and challenging exercise program are numerous - did you know that exercise will even improve your sleep?

I am in a unique position to assist you in grabbing onto the good health that you deserve. Call or email me today to schedule your fitness assessment and get started on an exercise program that will change your life.

Are you ready to get into the best shape and best health of your life? Join the efit-today team today!