There are various reasons why high cholesterol is considered bad. Having too much cholesterol can lead to serious health problems such as strokes and heart diseases. Having too much cholesterol in your blood can be due to a bad diet. Specifically, consuming too many food items that are high in saturated fats can lead to bad cholesterol levels. According to studies, 10% of daily calories in your diet come from saturated fats.
While some causes of high cholesterol are inevitable, you can effectively manage it with physical exercises. Physical movements of the body can lower a person’s LDL cholesterol levels, which are harmful. This can include cycling, running, swimming, and walking to reduce high cholesterol levels. However, most high-impact exercises can’t be opted by anyone due to age and health factors. Therefore, people take advantage of various yoga poses to manage cholesterol.
Struggling with high cholesterol levels? Here are 5 effective yoga poses to lower cholesterol and lower the risk of various health problems.
Which Cholesterol is Harmful, LDL or HDL?
The LDL cholesterol is considered bad as it leads to fatty buildup in the arteries. This can narrow your arteries, which are responsible for distributing oxygen-rich blood to all your body cells. Thus, if it gets narrowed, it can get pressured and increase the risk of a heart attack. HDL cholesterol is considered good as it gets LDL out of your arteries and takes it back to the liver. In the process, the LDL gets broken down in the liver, and eventually, the body gets rid of it.
To minimize the risk of severe health problems, here are 5 yoga poses to practice for better cholesterol control.
1. Mountain Pose
The mountain pose is simple yet effective and helps improve digestion, and it indirectly helps with cholesterol control. Along with this, the pose also increases body flexibility and promotes good posture. Increasing your body’s flexibility helps improve performance in physical exercises, which can also help with cholesterol levels.
To nail the pose, you need to stand straight on the floor while keeping your feet close to each other. Then, slowly roll your shoulders up and back, following the movement with deep breaths. Hold the position for a few breaths. Also, to reap more benefits from each posture, yogis practice in hot yoga Dubai studio to unlock the body’s maximum flexibility in the heated atmosphere.
2. Seated Forward Bend
The seated forward is an effective posture when it comes to boosting your immune system. The pose also helps get rid of fat around the abdominal region and stimulates liver and kidney functions. Adding this pose to your daily routine will help you increase your appetite, control excessive cholesterol, and reduce obesity risks.
You can do this pose on the floor by sitting and extending your legs forward. Then, extend your arms to hold the grip on your toes while keeping your back straight. Exhale and bend forward, and make sure to keep your arms horizontal to your legs. Stay in this posture for at least 30 seconds.
3. Shoulder Stand Pose
The pose is named the “mother of all poses’ as it is extremely helpful in regulating internal body functions. The pose helps in breaking down fats, carbohydrates, and proteins by regulating the responsible thyroid hormones. Therefore, regulating these functions helps improve metabolism and reduce levels of LDL cholesterol.
To do the pose, you need to lie down on the floor with both your arms on either side of your body. Keep your elbows attached to the ground while holding a grip around your lower back with bond hands. Then, lift your legs, hips, and buttocks up with the strength of your elbows. Ensure your legs and spine are straight, and hold the posture for 30 – 50 seconds.
4. Wheel Pose
The wheel pose is considered very helpful in lowering the levels of cholesterol. The pose stimulates liver functioning and boosts the process of flushing out cholesterol from your body. Along with this, the pose helps massage the abdominal area, helps with constipation, and leads to better digestion.
Lie down flat on the floor with your knees bent. Then, bring your feet closer to your buttocks while keeping them hidden apart. Then, place your palms on the back side of your body and ensure your fingers are spread open. Your fingers should be pointing toward your shoulders, then with the help of your palms, lift your body up. Use your feet to support your lower body weight and maintain the balance. Stay in the position for a minute or two while breathing slowly.
5. Sitting Half Spinal Twist
The pose effectively twists the upper side of the body, helps open chests, and works on your spine. When you perform the posture on both sides, you reap maximum benefits, including stimulating heart muscles, removing stiffness, and more. Thus, by adding this to your daily routine, you can reduce the risk of cholesterol build-up and minimize the chances of heart disease.
Sit straight with your feet together and legs stretched. Then, bend your right leg inwards to make your sole touch your left hip. Then, lift your left leg over your right knee while placing your right hand on your left foot. Keep your left hand behind your body, supporting the posture balance. Yogis with insufficient body flexibility may struggle to maintain this posture. Therefore, they head to yoga studio to let muscles warm up effectively for better posture alignment.
Where Can You More Yoga Benefits?
Enhance your body flexibility, endurance, and strength to get more out of your yoga sessions. Improve posture alignment with skilled instructors ready to assist you anytime. Book your next class now and get comparatively more benefits in a heated yoga studio.