There are lots of things a doctor can analyze when he gives you a blood test, as he often will do when you have something wrong with you, or even when you are getting a regular checkup. One thing you’ll probably dread hearing is that your cholesterol is too high because that means you are going to have to adjust your lifestyle to try to bring it down.
Medication is available to lower cholesterol, the most famous of which are probably statins. These have attracted some controversy because of their potential side effects, or you may just not like the thought of having to keep taking pills for an extended period of time. Sometimes statins are the best option, but if you want to avoid them, your daily diet and exercise routine needs to be tailored to bring your cholesterol down.
We can measure daily performance in lots of different ways, so seeing how it impacts your cholesterol is just one more way to check that you’re achieving your goals. There are two main factors that you can use to lower cholesterol without medication. The first is a healthy diet low in saturated fat and high in fiber. The second is through an active exercise regimen.
Not all exercise needs to be high intensity to have an impact on your cholesterol. Even gentle walking and cycling can make a contribution. If you want to constantly improve your daily performance, though, you do need to push yourself and try to include at least some moderate aerobic activity that gets you a little out of breath. Around 30 minutes a day is a good figure to aim for.
The type of exercise you do doesn’t just depend on cholesterol, but on other health factors as well. For example, swimming is easier on the joints than cycling, which is easier than running. Older people in particular are likely to have problems with their joints, in addition to being more likely to see their cholesterol rise. You’re not going to see improvements because you injure yourself pushing your body too hard.
At least some research (https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/full/10.1161/ATVBAHA.112.300878)) suggests that the type of exercise you do doesn’t matter, as long as you exert enough energy. Walking might take longer than running to have an effect, but it can still help reduce your cholesterol and help improve your overall performance.
