This October is National Cholesterol Month, an opportunity for many organisations to help raise awareness for the dangers of cholesterol and to celebrate eating healthily and being active. There are many ways to get involved this month. Why not try taking part in HEART UK’s Great Cholesterol Challenge, which simply involves having fun, moving more and eating better!
According to HEART UK, every 6 out of 10 people in Britain suffer from raised or abnormal levels of cholesterol in their blood. For those of you who don’t know, Cholesterol is a fatty substance that clogs the arteries and causes them to narrow. The heart has to work extra hard to ensure oxygen-rich blood can be carried to the heart and the rest of the body. If these arteries become completely blocked, this can result in a heart attack.
Many people are unaware that they suffer from high levels of cholesterol, and continue to lead an unhealthy lifestyle oblivious of the dangers they are subjecting their body to. National Cholesterol Month is a chance to rectify this and ensure that the dangers are made known so that we can all lead long and healthy lives. Remember, once you have been diagnosed, it’s fairly easy to treat with a few lifestyle tweaks!
We completely support the work that HEART UK do to spread the word about high levels of cholesterol, to ‘keep young hearts running’. This is why we are going to jump on the bandwagon and suggest a few things you can do in the gym to reduce your blood pressure, keep your weight in check, reduce the risk of heart disease and ensure you have good levels of cholesterol!
Indoor Cycling Classes for heart health:
Cycling is a great way to keep fit and have fun in the process! It’s a low impact form of exercise that is great for people of all ages, allowing you to go at your own pace whilst keeping that heart ticking healthily. If you can’t make it to the gym this month, then ditch the car or the bus and have a go at cycling everywhere you go, you’ll be amazed at how much fitter you’ll feel at the end of the month, and hopefully will encourage you to keep up the good work!
Rowing for heart health:
As an endurance exercise, rowing is a great way to keep your heart in impeccable condition. Regular rowing can significantly improve your cardiorespiratory fitness (enhancing your lung’s ability to provide oxygen to the heart), preventing high cholesterol and lowering the risk of heart disease. Working nearly every every muscle in the body, rowing is a great form of exercise and can also be great fun! Have a go on a rowing machine in the gym, or get your friends together to try out your skills on the water!
Running for heart health:
Running has been a tried and tested form of exercise to improve heart function and strengthen the lung’s capacity to send oxygen to the blood and heart. Cardiovascular exercises are a great way to reduce high levels of cholesterol by making the body naturally inclined to consume more oxygen for endurance. Couple this with a healthy, balanced diet and you should be one step closer to reducing those levels of cholesterol to lead a long and happy life.
Improving heart health and high levels of cholesterol has been shown to come from as little as 30 minutes of cardiovascular or aerobic exercise just three times a week. It is as easy as that to improve your overall quality of life, so grab your friends and family, head to the gym or get moving outside and spread the word!
