In Canada, a study
revealed that Older women who had mildly elevated blood cholesterol were
asked to walk at a brisk pace for 60 minutes a day, five days a week,
for six months. They were tested for risk factors at the start and at
the end of the study.
In Canada, a study revealed that Older women who had mildly elevated
blood cholesterol were asked to walk at a brisk pace for 60 minutes a
day, five days a week, for six months. They were tested for risk factors
at the start and at the end of the study.
Results show that the six-month walking program reduced total blood
cholesterol by 4.5%, which is equivalent to a reduction of approximately
10% in the risk for heart disease. Decreases were also detected in other
risk factors, including triglycerides (a type of blood lipid), LDL (the
harmful kind of cholesterol), weight, fat mass and body mass index.
It appears that loss of body fat goes hand in hand with improvements
in blood lipids. Walkers who lost weight and fat were more likely to see
an increase in HDL, the good kind of cholesterol.
An exercise program alone, without any diet change, can decrease the
risk for heart disease among older women who have mildly increased cholesterol.
A program longer than six months, combined with dietary changes, would
likely be even more effective for enhancing heart health.
If you want to give walking a go as part of your everyday active lifestyle
programme, here are some tips to get you started:
- Wear comfortable shoes, with good heel and arch support and ample
toe room.
- Check your walking technique. You should hit the ground first with
your heel, and then roll on the ball of your foot all the way to your
toes.
- Start slowly. Decide how long you want to walk for and set a goal,
this could be 5 minutes, 10 minutes or longer. Start there and walk
that amount every day for a week.
- Add five minutes every week until you can walk at least 30 minutes
every day. Health benefits start to really kick in at this level.
- Pace yourself so that you are breathing faster than normal but you
are still able to talk.
- Join a group to keep you going. Groups offer the opportunity to meet
new people, make friends and provide structure and motivation to walk
regularly.
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