The NJ Police Chief Magazine Volume 25, Number 4 | Seite 37

The New Jersey Police Chief Magazine | April 2019
Ask the Physician
I’ve let myself get really out of shape these last few years. Now I have high cholesterol, so my doctor put
me on meds, which I don’t like taking, and she also told me cut the fried, fatty foods and start exercising,
which, frankly, I also don’t like doing! My question is this: If I really get serious about exercising, can I
get my cholesterol down so I don’t have to keep taking meds? Tom K., Wildwood
Tom, I applaud your honesty -- and you’re certainly not alone with your feelings about medications and exercise!
Eating a healthy diet is always an important factor in prevention or healing of heart disease – along with taking any
prescribed medications -- but exercise can also help lower your cholesterol, including its effectiveness in helping you
lose weight. Being overweight tends to increase the amount of low-density lipoproteins (LDL) in your blood, which
contribute to fatty build-ups in arteries.
Research has shown that exercise stimulates enzymes that help move LDL from the blood (and blood-vessel walls) to
the liver. The cholesterol is then converted into bile (for digestion) or excreted, so -- the more you exercise, the
more LDL your body expels. Even moderate exercise (about 12 miles of brisk walking or jogging per week) positively
affects LDL levels, and the benefit increases with more intense exercise, as HDL levels (the healthy lipoprotein) are
increased.
As your physician has cleared you to begin an exercise program, I would strongly recommend taking up the challenge
– for all the GOOD you’ll experience!
S. Justin Szawlewicz, M.D.
Attending Cardiologist
Vice Chair, Medical Staff
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