By Chris McCombs

Cholesterol is a fatty substance which is found in the tissues of the body of all animals. It is found in the blood of man and animals also. Cholesterol scares every human being a lot because, a majority of the people have a feeling that cholesterol is bad. But believe me there is good as well as bad cholesterol. Good cholesterol can be increased in our body by working out for long hours.

The food that we eat contains 20% of the cholesterol in our body. The remaining 80% is manufactured by the liver. But the cholesterol that is obtained from your work out is good. Working out for this purpose has to be for long hours which extends beyond half an hour. This was discovered by a new research review by Japanese researchers.

Types of cholesterol:

Bad cholesterol that is low-density lipoprotein and good cholesterol that is high-density lipoprotein are the two types of cholesterol in our body. Too much of bad cholesterol causes heart disease. But good cholesterol helps to remove bad cholesterol. Actually bad cholesterol gets deposited on the walls of arteries and good cholesterol helps to remove this by transporting if to the liver for elimination.

In order to increase good cholesterol an individual has to take up at least two hours or work out per week. These work outs can be in the form of aerobic exercises. The exercises include walking, biking or even swimming. Brief bouts of these exercise is not helpful.

Tai Chi and art of living also promotes good cholesterol in our body. Deep breathing associated with art of living, helps the flow of blood to all parts of the body. Meditation prevents the arteries from hardening. Proper exercise and balanced diet can improve good cholesterol in an individual’s body.

Changes to be made in order to boost your good cholesterol:

o Stop smoking:

As smoking brings down the level of HDL cholesterol it increases the tendency of the blood to clot. To stop this you can quit smoking. You can take your doctor’s advice to stop smoking and also medication to decrease nicotine cravings.

o Maintain your weight:

Your weight is also related to your HDL level. If you exercise your way to reduce your weight it will also help in increasing your HDL level. Bring in permanent changes in your life so that you can keep your weight in a healthy array. Adopt changes in your eating habits and exercise.

o Increase your physical activity:

Regular aerobic exercise increases HDL. At least 30-60 minutes of regular aerobic activity will help you to increase your HDL level. You can even go for a brisk walk. If you are not able to take longer workouts, you can do it as smaller sessions throughout the day.

o Select healthier fats:

Fats can be included in your diet but with a limit. 25-35% of fat can be taken with your diet. You should avoid saturated fat in your diet. Also discard food that contains trans fats which boosts LDL cholesterol. Nuts, fish and foods comprising omega-3 fats are also good options to be included in your diet.

oTake alcohol in moderation:

Red wine can be used in moderation and it helps in increasing HDL level. One drink for women and one to two drinks for men in a day is the recommendation for a healthy life.

oIncrease Fiber intake:

Include food such as whole grains, bran, fruits and vegetables in your diet. These foods contain more dietary fiber. Fiber raises HDL levels and it also helps you to lose your weight.

About the Author: Chris McCombs is a personal trainer. He runs a program called

Long Beach Weight Loss

. Chris owns fitness and training business Positively Fit Inc. helping people all over Southern California lose fat and get the body they want. You can learn more about Chris at http://www.socalworkout.com

Source:

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