Cholesterol is a waxy lipid substance made by your liver that is found in all cells of the human body.  Your “Total Cholesterol” is made up of three factors.

What is Cholesterol

  1. HDL (High-Density Lipoprotein): often referred to as “good” cholesterol known to lower your risk of heart attack/stroke.
  2. LDL (Low-Density Lipoprotein): often referred to at “bad” cholesterol and leads to plaque buildup knwon to increase your risk for heart attack or stroke.
  3. Triglycerides:  fat found in your blood that your body uses for energy.  High levels of Triglycerides can also increase risk of heart attack/stroke.
  4. Total Cholesterol:  The total amount of cholesterol in your blood made up of HDL, LDL and Triglycerides.

The ratio of HDL/LDL and HDL/Triglyceride is another important factor to consider.  Balancing these rations can be beneficial for good heart health. Knowing your levels and ratios is a good idea, and can be done with a simple blood test at your doctor’s office laboratory.  It is recommended to get your cholesterol levels checked every 5 years if you are in the normal range with no known health risks, and more often for people with known risk factors or previous high levels.  Check with your doctor to see how often you should check your levels.

Factors to Improve Cholesterol Levels/Ratios

  1. Diet:  A plant-based diet is believed to improve cholesterol levels/heart health.  The Mediterranean Diet is well-studied, and believed to be sound and not too restrictive to be maintained.  An anti-inflammaroty diet may also be helpful.  Limiting processed foods, sugar, conventionally raised meat and dairy, transfats and artificial sweeteners and preservatives is a great starting place.
  2. Exercise:  Daily exercise and/or movement is vital to looking good, feeling good (physically and emotionally) and also has a positive effect on cholesterol levels.  Regular physical activity helps reduce stress and keep extra weight off, both of which have a positive effect on cholesterol levels.
  3. Stress and Sleep:  These two go hand-in-hand.  Excessive stress affects sleep quality, so managing stress helps lead to a good night’s sleep.  Bodies renew and regenerate themselves while we sleep, so getting enough quality sleep is key to overall health and balanced cholesterol.    There are many ways to manage stress such as with deep breathing, essential oils, exercise, getting outside in nature and connecting with loved ones.  Quality sleep can be boosted by setting a regular bedtime and wake-up time, eliminating screens (especially blue-light) before bed, avoiding caffeine late in the day, exercising regularly (not before bed) and reducing stress.

While there are many factors that can affect your heart health and choleserol levels, regular movement and exercise is the focus of this article.  At Fit-N-Fun Games, we believe that your workouts should be fun, help you feel great, and help you achieve your health and fitness goals.  Our fitness boardgames meet all three criteris and inspire poeple to workout at home.  There are many health benefits associasted with regular workouts, and optimizing cholesterol levels is just one.  Our current Bootcamp Edition is designed for all fitness levels, and a fun and challenging workout for all.  We plan to have other editions ready for you soon, so you can vary your workouts.

 

Hugs & Health – Michelle

**Disclaimer:  Please always consult your physician before beginning this or any exercise program.