October is National Cholesterol Month 2017. This is a whole month devoted to the dangers of high cholesterol whilst raising funds to help continue to provide life-saving work.
The 100 Mile Great Cholesterol Challenge
This year sees The 100 mile Great Cholesterol Challenge which aims to get people moving to benefit from a healthy heart. The 100 miles can be covered by walking, running swimming, rowing or cycling – or a combination – just keep moving over the month of October until you hit that 100 miles. These days it is so easy to keep track of how far we have gone either manually or automatically with fitness apps. The benefits of being active are that it increases good cholesterol levels (HDL), reduces blood pressure, strengthens muscles and bones, keeps weight in check, makes you feel good and helps reduce the overall risk of heart disease, diabetes and some cancers.
I am still waiting to hear if I have a place in the London Marathon and so there’s a possibility that I may actually need to start thinking about running a LOT more so what better place to start. I guess if I aim to run a Marathon a week (spread out over the week of course), that will mean I will reach the 100 miles by the end – and get my stamina up.
The Importance of Diet and Cholesterol
Of course it isn’t just exercise that is important but diet plays a key role in keeping cholesterol under control. A way you can achieve this is by eating oily fish in your diet at least once a week – which also has links with reduced risk of Dementia and improve cardiovascular health. These fish have oil in the tissues and belly cavity around the gut, with fillets containing around 30% oil. Oily fish is a good source of vitamins A and D and are rich in omega-3 fatty acids (which may help improve inflammatory conditions such as arthritis). Diet is something I seriously need to think about and slipping in fish once a week does seem an easy place to start.
- Will you be taking part with the 100 Mile Great Cholesterol Challenge?
- Do you have any tips on moving more or diet?
- And have you been lucky enough to get a place in the London Marathon Ballot?