New Study Finds That Swimming Lowers Cholesterol
As we age and become less physically active, we are more likely to put on weight, lose muscle tone, and gain body fat. Our metabolisms also become less efficient and our glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity suffer. This is why many diseases like diabetes, obesity, and atherosclerosis are more common in adults over the age of 50.
What can we do to prevent or postpone this decline in health? It turns out that aerobic exercise is one of the most effective methods for maintaining a healthy weight and improving overall cardiovascular health. You can hop on your favorite cardio equipment at the gym, and whether you’re cycling, rowing, running, or climbing, all of the workouts will deliver similar results. However, one exercise option that many of us overlook is swimming. By exercising in the water, you can improve your strength and challenge your cardiovascular system without enduring the impact of traditional exercise, which is especially tough on aging joints.
While walking is by far the most popular form of exercise around the world, sports medicine professionals have recently taken a great interest in identifying the benefits of swimming. A 2010 study conducted by the Cox Research group at the University of Western Australia compared the effects of swimming to those of walking on more than 100 women between the ages of 50 and 70. Participants in the study were assigned either to the walking or swimming group, and were supervised for 3 exercise sessions per week for 6 months. The women were then asked to continue their routines unsupervised for an additional 6 months.
The results of the study may surprise you. Swimmers lost more inches in the waist and hip than walkers, and also lost more weight over the course of the year. Most importantly, the swimmers had lower cholesterol, and better body fat distributions than the participants who limited their workouts to walking. The research group suspects that some of the observed differences are due to the way our body responds to cold water, and is eager to investigate this thermoregulatory response further.
The take home message is that integrating some variety into your workout routine can amplify the benefits. Spice up your exercise regimen with an endurance swim or water aerobics class once a week to stay in control of your cholesterol while burning body fat and improving your overall strength.
Lower Cholesterol with Exercise
There is a way to lower cholesterol. It will take a lot of sacrifice and effort. The best way to lower cholesterol is by exercising. This will increase the heart rate and metabolism in the body allowing it to expel the harmful oils, which are detrimental to one’s health.
Those who have not exercised before should first consult with a physician to find out which is suitable for your situation. Those who have a heart condition may not do something rigorous and will have to rely on something that is low impact such as walking, weight lifting or stretching.
Lower Cholesterol Without Drugs
Having high level of cholesterol is not good for your health. It has been revealed in many studies that an unhealthy increase in blood cholesterol levels can lead to heart disease. High cholesterol levels can also increase the risk of strokes and heart attacks. Coronary heart disease is the leading cause of death among people living in industrialized societies such as the US. The increasing incidence of high cholesterol levels in people living in this part of the world can often be contributed to a high saturated fat diet, smoking and living a sedentary lifestyle.
How to Lower Cholesterol
Cholesterol in the body is created by the liver in an amount just enough to carry out its tasks. Therefore, cholesterol from outside sources is not at all necessary. Foods from animals have high cholesterol and saturated fat content. The latter of which is the main cause in the production of LDL (bad) cholesterol in the body. This bad cholesterol has the tendency to stick on the walls of the arteries, and in time, accumulate, suppressing the flow of blood. This disorder called atherosclerosis leads to heart attack or stroke. Hence, the presence of too much cholesterol in the body increases the risk factors for cardiovascular diseases.
Generally, lowering one’s cholesterol level can be done by decreasing the saturated fat and cholesterol intake, engaging in physical activities, and losing weight for overweight persons.
Eating Right to Lower Cholesterol
A truly effective way to lower cholesterol is a combination of regular exercise and proper diet. These two activities go hand in hand. Without one factor, you cannot succeed. Dieting without exercising the body will only lead to weak muscles, which will eventually weaken the body’s resistance.
