If you have high cholesterol, one of the lifestyle changes you might consider while working on lowering your levels is starting an exercise program. While many doctors recommend brisk walks or weight training, regular yoga can also improve your cholesterol levels. You can practice online in a class, in a studio with a group, or at home for free.
The effect of yoga on cholesterol
On a biological level, exercise improves the things that affect cholesterol levels. “The idea here is that yoga can be a type of aerobics and resistance training. These types of exercise have very well-known cholesterol benefits, ”said Bethany Barone Gibbs, PhD, associate professor at the University of Pittsburgh who studies the effects of healthy lifestyle on cardiometabolic disease.
“We know there are anti-inflammatory effects. Exercise can reduce low-density lipoproteins and probably has the greatest effect on triglycerides. And then it also has the great benefit of increasing high density lipoproteins. The overall changes in the cholesterol profile are all good. “
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There is currently limited research on the relationship between yoga and lipid levels. However, there is more data on how it affects other things that affect high cholesterol.
“Yoga isn’t that magic pill that you take and then you get all of these benefits,” said Sally Sherman, PhD, assistant professor at the University of Pittsburgh who studies the health effects of yoga. However, she notes that this indirectly leads to desirable effects. For example: “We know that yoga improves sleep. And (that) can really serve as the avenue for so many other health benefits. ”Many of those benefits, she says, actually show up as things like lower cholesterol.
In a study, Sherman found that the energy expenditure for vinyasa yoga mirrors that of moderate to intense exercise such as brisk walking. Physical activity at this level has many health benefits that can affect your cholesterol levels:
What kind of yoga is best?
But in order to get the most out of yoga, it is important to practice a certain style. Vinyasa is one of the many forms of discipline that combines deep breathing and movement. “We know that as adults, we need moderate to vigorous physical activity of at least 150 minutes a week for optimal health,” says Sherman. “Even slowly in a slow flow … Vinyasa Yoga fulfills (these) requirements.”
How to add yoga to your routine
Experts believe that adults between the ages of 19 and 64 do some type of physical activity every day. They recommend that the average adult get at least 150 minutes of medium-intensity activity or 75 minutes of high-intensity activity every week. Vinyasa yoga can help you achieve these weekly goals.
If you are looking to start doing yoga as a physical activity to improve your cholesterol levels, it is important that you still follow your regular treatment plan. Don’t stop taking your cholesterol medication unless your doctor tells you otherwise.
It’s also important to keep your care team updated when you start taking yoga classes. “For two different reasons,” Colleen Tewksbury, PhD, subject matter expert for the Commission on Dietetic Registration training programs in obesity intervention and adult weight management. “One is to make sure that it is generally safe for you to take part in activities. But also to talk about what activity options are available and what works best for you. And that could be yoga. “
If you are new to yoga, finding a certified teacher either online or in person to lead your classes is a good idea. “When it comes to any type of activity, especially a new activity, we worry about any kind of inappropriate shape or beyond what your body is really ready for,” says Tewksbury. “It can really be beneficial to have a professional with you to support you, even if it is just getting started.”
The yoga lifestyle and cholesterol
After practicing yoga as an exercise tool for some time, many people may want to adapt other elements of the practice as part of their lifestyle.
“People are starting to make other changes in their lives,” says Sherman. “And one of the things yoga teaches is a plant-based diet. That’s because this diet does less harm. It’s healthier for the body and we now have the data to back it up. Plant-based diets are prescribed for many things, from Alzheimer’s to cholesterol. “
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When people eat a plant-based diet, they often consume fewer calories during the day. In combination with the exercise from yoga, this can lead to slight weight loss. “While 5, 10, or 15 pounds doesn’t seem like a large amount of weight or a significant change, it does have a huge impact on a person’s cholesterol levels,” says Tewksbury.
When you start relying on a plant-based diet, you are also avoiding certain ingredients in meat and dairy products that could be bad for your cholesterol. Tewksbury points out that saturated fat plays a role in cholesterol levels and is mainly found in animal products. When people cut out or cut down on some of these foods “they tend to lower their saturated fat intake, which can lead to lower cholesterol levels,” she says.
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Tewksbury also notes that consuming more soluble fiber like oats or plant sterols also helps improve cholesterol levels. “That’s because this soluble fiber helps bind to cholesterol so it can be removed from the body,” she says.
Whether you want to customize yoga as a lifestyle or just add it to spice up your exercise routine, there are many benefits to the practice. “Mindfulness is taught on the yoga mat,” says Sherman. “It permeates life off the mat.”
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