A group of scientists at Kamumoto University in Japan have developed a vaccine they say could develop into a cost-effective treatment for cholesterol and obesity related disorders. During its testing phase, the scientists say that the vaccine decreased “circulating levels of LDL [cholesterol] in the blood” and was effective for up to six months”. Professor Yuichi Oike believes that it could help patients living in poorer areas who require long term treatment. However, until this vaccine passes all the necessary tests and is approved for use in the UK, we must make do with other ways to get our levels down and up.

We want a lot of this, as much as possible.

On the other hand, bad cholesterol is called low-density lipoprotein (LDL).

This sticks to the walls of your blood vessels, forming a plaque, increasing your risk of heart disease and stroke.

We want to keep this as low as possible.

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Fortunately there are some ways to keep it down.

It isn’t just your diet where you can make improvements, but in how much you exercise too.

Aerobic exercise can make a big difference and just a few hours a week can make a difference

As well as lowering levels of bad cholesterol, aerobic exercise increases levels of good cholesterol.

This good cholesterol is the type of cholesterol that protects your heart.

Quitting smoking won’t just decrease your risk of developing cancer, it will increase your levels of LDL cholesterol too.

Alongside reducing your LDL levels, studies have found that kicking the smoking habit increases your levels of HDL cholesterol.

This isn’t to say quitting is easy, for some it can be a very difficult experience.

However, there are fortunately a multitude of support groups and services out there to guide you through the process.

Finally, try avoiding processed foods, and when you can, cook with fresh ingredients.

Your cholesterol levels, both good and bad, are a measure of your heart health.

They can help guide you to make decisions about your lifestyle that will have wide ranging positive consequences beyond lowering your cholesterol levels.

Source: | This article first appeared on Express.co.uk

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