MSc. Dr. Vo Anh Minh, Cardiovascular Center, Tam Anh General Hospital, Ho Chi Minh City, said that there are 3 blood cholesterol indexes to note: LDL ("bad" cholesterol), HDL ("good" cholesterol) and triglyceride (a type of fat in the blood). High levels of LDL cholesterol in the blood will affect cardiovascular health. For people with high cholesterol, taking medication combined with changing their diet and increasing exercise or physical activity in general is very necessary.

Exercise has the greatest impact on cholesterol in the body by increasing HDL levels and decreasing triglycerides. HDL cholesterol acts as a "clean-up squad", helping to remove "bad" LDL cholesterol from the blood vessel walls, bringing it back to the liver for filtering.

A review of 35 studies published in the Archives of Internal Medicine found that people who exercised for 40 minutes a day, three to four times a week, saw their HDL cholesterol increase by two to three points in just eight weeks. The article also noted that just an additional 10 minutes of exercise could improve HDL levels.

According to Dr. Minh, triglyceride levels also decrease with regular exercise. In fact, if a person has high triglyceride levels and starts exercising regularly, this index can decrease by about 20%.

Your total blood cholesterol can be reduced slightly by regular exercise. "Based on the blood lipid index, when analyzing each specific level of HDL, LDL and triglyceride, the doctor will have specific assessments and appropriate treatment directions," said Dr. Minh.

When you exercise, whether it’s a long workout or just a few minutes of brisk walking, it can make a positive difference in your body. If you’re exercising to lower your cholesterol, you’ll see positive changes in your blood lipids within 4-12 weeks of starting your workout.

Dr. Anh Minh recommends that maintaining a regular active lifestyle is more important than focusing on a specific exercise. That means you can combine the following: brisk walking (at least 4km per hour), swimming or water aerobics, cycling... In addition, some exercises such as tennis, dancing also help burn energy equivalent to brisk walking or running.

The amount of time you spend exercising is more important than the type of exercise you choose. The World Health Organization (WHO) warns that globally, 1 in 4 adults do not meet the globally recommended levels of physical activity. The WHO also recommends that adults should do 150 minutes (2.5 hours) of moderate physical activity or 75 minutes of vigorous exercise each week.

If you are already exercising the recommended amount but still need to lower your cholesterol, you can increase your exercise time and add some weight-bearing exercises. If you don’t have time to exercise continuously, you can break it up into different exercise sessions throughout the day or week. Short bursts of activity are also important, especially for people who are sedentary. This also contributes to your overall physical activity throughout the day or week.

Dr. Minh shares some other exercise tips to lower cholesterol more effectively:

Always combine physical activity with a healthy diet to lower cholesterol.

Talk specifically with your doctor about your exercise plan, especially if you are new to physical activity.

You can choose the right type of exercise based on your overall health and lifestyle.

You can make exercise a regular part of your family routine to keep you motivated.

Bao Bao