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According to the American Heart Association, high cholesterol affects a large percentage of the population. Approximately 98.6 million adults in in the United States have cholesterol levels that are considered to be borderline high risk (200 and above) to high risk (240 and above), which can lead to coronary artery disease, the main cause of heart attack and stroke.
Identification
Cholesterol is classified as a fatlike substance found in the body's bloodstream and cells. While cholesterol is normal and a part of everyone's body, it is dangerous when levels get too high.
Effects
Exercise can help reduce health risks like heart attack and stroke by lowering the levels of "bad" LDL cholesterol and increasing levels of "good" HDL cholesterol.
Evidence
In the 2005 the American College of Cardiology reported that the risk of heart attack and stroke were reduced by 33 percent in patients who participated in habitual, vigorous exercise. The most effective was high-intensity exercise. A five-year study conducted by the Duke University Medical Center reported that low-impact exercise, while beneficial toward overall health, did not have the same positive effects in lowering cholesterol as did high-intensity exercise.
Exmples of High-Impact Exercise
- jogging or running - jumping rope - soccer - rollerblading - basketball
Examples of Low-Impact Exercise
-walking -pilates -yoga -scrubbing the bathtub -light weight lifting
Source
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