If you think you are the only one who has high cholesterol, you are wrong. There are millions of people in the US alone suffering from diseases related or caused by high cholesterol in the body. Have you known that there are seven major causes of cholesterol?
- Diet – perhaps, this is the most obvious among the causes of cholesterol. Diet plays a great role in the growth of the body because it is where nutrients come from. Eating healthy diet will always lead to healthy bodily functions. The sad thing is, not all foods which are delicious are nutritious. There are those which contain too much saturated fat which is the main source of cholesterol. The best examples are pork, beef, veal, eggs, butter, milk and cheese.
- Weight – having a beer belly is not just bad for your looks; it is also bad for your health. Obese or overweight people are prone to having heart-related diseases caused by cholesterol because HDL (good cholesterol) may decrease while triglycerides (bad cholesterol) may increase generously. Thus, losing weight and fats could be the best thing you can do to help you look good while enjoying a healthy body.
- Gender and Age – it is sad to know that your age and gender may also be the main cause of high cholesterol in your body. Generally, when a person reaches 20, his/her cholesterol may start to rise. In men, it may level off after the age of 50 while women may not suffer from cholesterol until they reach their menopausal period.
- Activity Level – one way to reduce cholesterol contents of the body is to become active. Thus, athletic people have lower cholesterol than those who are not active. Inactivity may give rise to LDL while reducing HDL. Therefore, it pays so much to keep yourself busy and active. Get off your couch and sweat.
- Smoking – nicotine can never bring good to the body. Smokers have higher tendency of developing severe cholesterol-related diseases because of nicotine. Not only that the arteries become narrow and blocked but because bad cholesterol may rise so fast once a person starts to smoke. Chain smokers are facing the greatest health problem a person can have in a lifetime.
- Heredity – it has been found out through constant medical researches that genetic also play a significant role in the rise of cholesterol in the human body. People whose parents or ancestors have history of high cholesterol are more likely to develop the same in their body. However, this factor can easily be stopped by proper diet and constant exercise.
- Overall Health – you may be confident that you are healthy; however, you need to have at least an annual check up of your overall health so that you will know how your body is functioning. There are always time your body may encounter imbalances in hormones. These are the kinds which may result to the rise of your cholesterol.
The best thing you can do for yourself to ensure a healthy body is to engage into a healthy diet and exercise. A 30-minute walk in the morning can keep your cholesterol at low levels each day. Avoid eating foods which may contain saturated fats to avoid heart-related diseases and rise of cholesterol in your body. Stay healthy and fit.
Harold is a fitness trainer and a writer who constantly writes about Health News and tips for Big Pond News–one of the biggest websites in Australia.
