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Checking your cholesterol used to be an easy affair, with your doctor reporting to you one number. However, as medical science has advanced, cholesterol knowledge has changed and three or more numbers are typically now reported. Getting more than one number can be confusing, and even if your doctor explains it to you in the examination room, it is difficult to remember once you get home. This can also be confusing if you purchase a home cholesterol testing kit. The math of cholesterol is not as difficult as it seems, however, and by learning the differences between the numbers, you can understand how to keep your body healthy.
First, you will be given a number for LDL cholesterol, or low density lipoprotein cholesterol. This is commonly referred to as bad cholesterol and you can remember this by using the L to stand for Lower—you want to be sure to lower this type of cholesterol. LDL cholesterol makes up about 65-75% of your total cholesterol level, and everyone should seek for a number lower than 130, because LDL cholesterol is the type that causes heart attacks. If you have other risk factors such as obesity or a family history of heart disease, you want to keep this number even lower, less than 100 if possible. Diet is the main way to lower high LDL levels.
The second number on your cholesterol report is your HDL cholesterol, or high density lipoprotein cholesterol. This is commonly referred to as good cholesterol and you can remember this by using the H to stand for healthy—high levels of HDL cholesterol are encouraged. A value of 35 or higher is recommended for men, and 40 or higher for women. Women have an easier time raising HDL levels than men do, but this can be done through exercise and not smoking.
The last number on your report will be a total cholesterol level, although if you add your LDL and HDL numbers, you will not get the total, as there are other cholesterol levels measured as well. It is most important to worry about LDL and HDL—if you keep these numbers at normal levels, your total cholesterol level will be fine. Consult your doctor if you have further questions, and remember that good cholesterol should not need to be dependent on medication. By exercising regularly, eating a low cholesterol diet, and living a healthy lifestyle, you can usually keep these levels under control.
How many times have you gone to sleep at night, swearing you'll go to the gym in the morning, and then changing your mind just eight hours later because when you get up, you don't feel like exercising?
While this can happen to the best of us, it doesn't mean you should drop the ball altogether when it comes to staying fit. What people need to realize is that staying active and eating right are critical for long-term health and wellness -- and that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. The more you know about how your body responds to your lifestyle choices, the better you can customize a nutrition and exercise plan that is right for you. When you eat well, increase your level of physical activity, and exercise at the proper intensity, you are informing your body that you want to burn a substantial amount of fuel. This translates to burning fat more efficiently for energy.
In other words, proper eating habits plus exercise equals fast metabolism, which, in turn gives you more energy throughout the day and allows you to do more physical work with less effort.
The true purpose of exercise is to send a repetitive message to the body asking for improvement in metabolism, strength, aerobic capacity and overall fitness and health. Each time you exercise, your body responds by upgrading its capabilities to burn fat throughout the day and night, Exercise doesn't have to be intense to work for you, but it does need to be consistent.
I recommend engaging in regular cardiovascular exercise four times per week for 20 to 30 minutes per session, and resistance training four times per week for 20 to 25 minutes per session. This balanced approach provides a one-two punch, incorporating aerobic exercise to burn fat and deliver more oxygen, and resistance training to increase lean body mass and burn more calories around the block.
Here's a sample exercise program that may work for you:
Warm Up -- seven to eight minutes of light aerobic activity intended to increase blood flow and lubricate and warm-up your tendons and joints.
Resistance Training -- Train all major muscle groups. One to two sets of each exercise. Rest 45 seconds between sets.
Aerobic Exercise -- Pick two favorite activities, they could be jogging, rowing, biking or cross-country skiing, whatever fits your lifestyle. Perform 12 to 15 minutes of the first activity and continue with 10 minutes of the second activity. Cool down during the last five minutes.
Stretching -- Wrap up your exercise session by stretching, breathing deeply, relaxing and meditating.
When starting an exercise program, it is important to have realistic expectations. Depending on your initial fitness level, you should expect the following changes early on.
From one to eight weeks -- Feel better and have more energy.
From two to six months -- Lose size and inches while becoming leaner. Clothes begin to fit more loosely. You are gaining muscle and losing fat.
After six months -- Start losing weight quite rapidly.
Once you make the commitment to exercise several times a week, don't stop there. You should also change your diet and/or eating habits,' says Zwiefel. Counting calories or calculating grams and percentages for certain nutrients is impractical. Instead, I suggest these easy-to-follow guidelines:
Eat several small meals (optimally four) and a couple of small snacks throughout the day
Make sure every meal is balanced -- incorporate palm-sized proteins like lean meats, fish, egg whites and dairy products, fist-sized portions of complex carbohydrates like whole-wheat bread and pasta, wild rice, multigrain cereal and potatoes, and fist-sized portions of vegetable and fruits
Limit your fat intake to only what's necessary for adequate flavor
Drink at least eight 8-oz. glasses of water throughout the day
I also recommend that you take a multi-vitamin each day to ensure you are getting all the vitamins and minerals your body needs.
I suppose that's all I can think of for now. I should extend my thanks to a doctor friend of mine. Without him, I wouldn't be able to write this article, or keep my sanity. Please bear in mind that you should always seek advice from your Medical Practitioner before starting an exercise regime or diet.
