How Working Out at a Gym in Mesa Can Prevent High Cholesterol

July 23, 2009 by Tim Oneil  
Filed under Articles

Working out at a gym in Mesa on a regular basis can prevent high cholesterol by reducing the amount of plaque build-up in the arteries. People talk about high and low cholesterol readings, but many don’t really understand what cholesterol consists of in the body. All they know is that too much cholesterol lining the arteries can cause blockage leading to heart disease.

Not All Cholesterol is Bad

There are two types of cholesterol called HDL (high density lipoproteins) and LDL (low density lipoproteins). Cholesterol is actually like a natural patching system your body uses to repair artery and blood vessel damage caused by disease.

Blood vessels are composed of layers and one of them is called the intima. The intima is the innermost vein layer. When the intima gets a tiny hole for any reason, the body tries to repair the damage. Veins can be damaged by diseases like high blood pressure or diabetes.

The way the body repairs the nick in the vein is by filling it with LDL. When too much repairing LDL accumulates, the HDL cholesterol clears the excess LDL away. Low density cholesterol can collect in the arteries due to diet and genetics also.

The problem is that a build-up of cholesterol in the blood stream can cause blood clotting and blocked arteries. This in turn can lead to strokes, heart attacks or heart disease.

High density lipoprotein is called the “good” cholesterol because it helps keep the “bad” LDL cholesterol at a healthy level. But sometimes the whole system fails to work properly due to lack of fitness or poor dietary habits. When you eat a lot of foods containing trans fats, for example, you can raise your LDL level even when the vein does not have a hole to repair.

Obviously, you want to raise your HDL levels as much as possible in order to keep your arteries cleared of plaque build-up.

Give Yourself the Gift of Exercise at a Gym in Mesa

Though medical science does not completely understand the process yet, exercise is known to increase the production of good cholesterol. That means a workout program can actually prevent high cholesterol formed by LDL. Your exercise program at a gym in Mesa should be combined with a healthy diet to get the maximum benefit.

Working out regularly will also insure you maintain a healthy cardiovascular system. Your blood flow is improved and your veins are kept cleared. The amount of exercise you should get as a minimum is 30 minutes a day of aerobic exercise five days a week.

A fitness trainer at a gym in Mesa can structure a fitness program that will include the right amount of aerobic exercise needed to prevent high cholesterol. Natural treatments for high cholesterol that already exist include losing weight, eliminating unhealthy foods from the diet, and exercising regularly. In many cases, it is even possible to avoid medications.

One of the best gifts you can give your heart and circulatory system is plenty of exercise at a gym in Mesa.