Exercise and eating habits can mean the difference between having a normal cholesterol level and having cholesterol levels that predispose you to a stroke or a heart attack. The more abnormal your cholesterol level is, the greater your risk of plaque buildup on the walls of your arteries, making your arteries hard. Hardened arteries are unable to effectively circulate oxygenated blood, leading to symptoms including pain in your lower extremities while you exercise or walk up a flight of stairs.
Physiology
Cholesterol is produced by your body and found in foods of animal origin. The liver makes nearly 70 percent of your cholesterol, but the walls of your arteries and your intestines also make cholesterol. It is necessary in the production of several compounds in your body such as vitamin D, estrogen and progesterone.
Saturated Fat, Trans Fat and Cholesterol
Consuming a diet high in saturated fat decreases your liver's ability to remove excess cholesterol from your bloodstream. This means more cholesterol is circulating throughout your body, increasing plaque accumulation on the walls of your arteries. Trans fat is linked to inflammation on the walls of your arteries, stimulating plaque and cholesterol buildup at the site of inflammation. This man-made fat also makes your bad cholesterol carrier or LDL more effective in depositing cholesterol.
Total Cholesterol
Your total cholesterol level is the sum of your LDL and HDL components. The desirable level is less than 200 mg per deciliter of blood. Borderline high blood cholesterol is between 200 and 239 mg/dL while high blood cholesterol is greater than equal to 240 mg/dL. Your doctor would have to draw blood and send it to a lab to get your cholesterol readings. It is best to focus on the individual components of your cholesterol level.
HDL Cholesterol
HDL stands for high-density lipoprotein, the cholesterol carrier you want to have more of in your blood. It removes plaque from the walls of your arteries. An HDL cholesterol level of less than 40 is one risk factor for heart disease. An HDL reading greater than or equal to 60 mg/dL of blood is the number you want to shoot for. Consuming foods high in omega-3 fats like walnuts and salmon increase your HDL.
LDL Cholesterol
LDL is short for low-density lipoprotein, the cholesterol carrier in your blood you want to keep as low as possible. The optimal level for LDL is less than 100 mg/dL of blood. If your LDL is between 100 and 129 mg/dL, you are near optimal. LDL levels at 130 mg/dL or higher is classified as borderline high to very high. Regular aerobic exercise does decrease your LDL levels as well as a low-fat and low-cholesterol diet.
References
- "Exercise Physiology, Energy, Nutrition & Human Performance"; William McArdle, Frank Katch and Victor Katch; 2007
- "ACSM's Resource Manual for Guidelines for Exercise Testing and Prescription; American College of Sports Medicine; 2010
- "ACSM's Health & Fitness Journal"; Eat Like You're in Crete: Teach Your Clients the Benefits of the Mediterranean Diet; Janet Bond Brill, Ph.D., R.D.; September/October 2007
