Who wouldn’t agree that one of the most difficult and stressful jobs in the world is to hold the office of President of the United States?

One would think that to cope with the pressure this job demands, the President needs to lead a healthy lifestyle. A healthy lifestyle, as we all know is a combination of a balanced diet and regular exercise.

Bill Clinton’s high blood pressure scare

Bill Clinton, who was seemingly fit for a person of 58, had his first high blood pressure scare in 2001. A medical report pointed that his blood pressure was close to high and the cholesterol levels were also above normal.

Bill Clinton did not have any known history of cardiovascular diseases, then what worked against him? Well…the answer to this riddle lied in the former President’s eating habits.

Bill Clinton had a great liking to fast food – a fact well known to people who knew him well. In fact, the former President later confessed that his eating habits were the biggest contributor to this undesirable health condition and he promised to make amends.

True to his word, the former President adopted a balanced diet and an exercise routine. Though, he required heart bypass surgery in the year of 2004, Bill Clinton acknowledged that his healthy living choices, a balanced diet, and commitment to regular exercise contributed immensely to his recovery.

Cholesterol Explained

Cholesterol is a lipid substance produced by liver and is also found in various foods. You might have heard that cholesterol is bad for health. This at best is only the half truth.

Human body requires cholesterol to function normally. Some of the key activities for which human body depends on cholesterol, include:

  • To build and maintain cell membranes
  • To produce certain hormones
  • To produce Vitamin D
  • To produce bile acids that help in digestion of fat

While our body requires cholesterol, too much of it can lead to serious health problems. Excessive cholesterol can clog the arterial walls, decreasing the blood flow, which, in turn, can lead to serious health problems, such as heart diseases.

How Exercise helps

Regular exercise can help you in the following ways:

  • It assists in weight reduction and weight control, both of which help in maintaining normal cholesterol levels.
  • When you exercise, your heart pumps blood more efficiently and strongly. This, in turn, helps in reduction of cholesterol build up in arteries, improving the blood circulation.
  • Regular exercise helps in improving the quantity of HDL, or good cholesterol in the body. HDL, in turn, helps the body in getting rid of the excessive LDL, or bad cholesterol.

Most people are aware of the fact that healthy living choices and exercise is essential for living a long and active life. While people acknowledge the necessity of a balanced diet and regular exercise regime, they often lack the information on what constitutes a balanced diet, or what exercise regime suit their requirements best.

Refer our guide to help lower cholesterol naturally to learn on how to take lead a healthy and ‘cholesterol scare’ free life.

You may also want to check out our High Blood Pressure Exercise Program.