Exercises for Lowering LDL

Cholesterol is divided into two groups: high-density lipoproteins (HDL), which are considered "good cholesterol," and low-density lipoproteins (LDL), otherwise known as the "bad cholesterol." Your heart and health are heavily dependent on the balance of these levels. HDL does enough good things for your body that it can counteract the negative effects of LDL. Still, if you have any cholesterol concerns you should keep an eye on your LDL levels and lower them through exercise.

Cardiovascular Excercises

• The most effective form of exercise for reducing LDL levels is cardiovascular activity. You need to get your blood flowing and heart beating and sustain that workload for a lengthy period of time. You should choose dynamic exercises that can last 20 to 30 minutes and work you out at a moderate workload. At this level, your heart rate should be between 60 and 75 percent of its maximum rate.

  Effective workouts to achieve this include walking, swimming, jogging or cycling. If you have the resources, cross-country skiing is another excellent workout, which utilizes up to 50 percent of your body's muscle mass.

  You should begin these activities by doing them at least 20 minutes a day four times a week. Over the course of 12 to 16 weeks, you should increase this workload to up to an hour a day most days of the week. You want to graduate to larger volumes of exercise because these are more effective in lowering LDL than the same cumulative workout time divided into smaller workouts. As your LDL decreases, exercise also will increase your HDL.

Lifestyle Changes

• Exercise is a critical step toward lowering LDL levels and your risk for heart disease, a heart attack or a number of other heart conditions. A good diet low in cholesterol is important, but you can also improve your health and lower LDL levels by quitting smoking if you currently do. Consuming up to 5 oz. of red wine each day may help raise HDL levels. You can also lower blood pressure and improve your circulation and blood health by sleeping with your arms and legs extended, rather than curled up to your body.