Heart disease is consistently the leading cause of death in the United States each year, with a reported 616,067 deaths in 2007 alone. One of the contributors to this death count is the presence of cholesterol plaque in the arteries, which restricts blood flow and causes cardiovascular damage. One of the best ways to reduce your risks for heart disease, as well as help reverse its effects is through aerobic exercise, even simple aerobic activities like walking.
Cholesterol and Your Arteries
When you consume too much saturated fat and cholesterol, the levels of bad low-density lipoprotein, or LDL, cholesterol increase in your cardiovascular system. If allowed to stay at high levels over long periods of time, LDL cholesterol can calcify into a hard plaque on the walls of your arteries. This buildup restricts the flow of blood through blood vessels, increasing your blood pressure. High blood pressure over time damages the cardiovascular system, leading to heart diseases and even cardiac events such as heart attacks, which can lead to death.
Effects on HDL
Cholesterol is broken down into two main types: "good" HDL, or high-density lipoprotein, cholesterol and "bad" LDL cholesterol. While LDL cholesterol can cause artery problems, HDL cholesterol can help combat LDL cholesterol levels, as it is partially responsible for transporting LDL cholesterol out of the bloodstream. Walking increases your HDL cholesterol in two main ways. First, the aerobic exercise of walking activates higher levels of HDL. In fact, MayoClinic.com suggests that sedentary individuals can increase their HDL cholesterol levels by as much as 5 percent in two months. The second way HDL can be increased is through the weight loss effects of walking. For every 6 lbs. of weight you lose, you have the potential of increasing your HDL cholesterol by 1 mg/dL.
Effects on LDL
The increase in HDL cholesterol level impacts your LDL cholesterol levels, which helps clear up your arteries as LDL cholesterol is reduced. HDL cholesterol transports cholesterol out of the bloodstream and to the liver where it can be processed and eliminated from the body. Transporting LDL cholesterol out of the bloodstream effectively clears out the arteries, helping prevent cholesterol plaque from forming.
Aerobic Exercise and Blood Pressure
Aerobic exercise like walking also helps your cardiovascular system through its effects directly on the heart. As you exercise, your heart rate increases to help deliver the oxygen and nutrients needed to create energy. When you walk on a regular basis, the increase in heart rate increases the strength of your heart, decreasing how hard your heart has to work to pump blood through your body, even while at rest. This increase in heart strength reduces your blood pressure, helping combat your risks for heart damage.
References
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Leading Causes of Death
- American Heart Association: About Cholesterol
- MayoClinic.com: HDL Cholesterol: How to Boost Your Good Cholesterol.
- MayoClinic.com: Top 5 Lifestyle Changes to Reduce Cholesterol
- American Council on Exercise: Managing Cholesterol With Exercise.
Member Comments