Reasons for High Cholesterol Numbers
What really creates dangerous cholesterol levels? Is modern junk food the primary culprit? Or is there a deeper underlying issue? Although a junk food diet has a major influence, reasons for high cholesterol problems are much more complicated. The first step is to establish what is cholesterol. The truths about the cause of high cholesterol are not solely the result of poor food choices.
Cholesterol molecules are fatty matter occurring normally in the human blood system and can plug up arteries when the concentration is too high. Continuous narrowing of arteries reduces blood flow to the heart potentially causing heart attacks or strokes.
Heredity is another critical element that you cannot control. Genetic tendencies determine the creation of high cholesterol.
Your cholesterol DNA comes from your parents, automatically passed on to succeeding generations. Ironically, your parents have given you the curse of high cholesterol, or not, as the case may be. A serious genetic condition identified to cause high LDL levels is called familial hypercholesterolemia which starts at birth often leading to heart attack at an early age.
Age and sex are other major risk factors affecting cholesterol levels. As early as the teenage years, men often have HDL levels typically lower than females. Unfortunately, bad LDL levels generally elevate for both sexes as they grow old. Senior women usually have levels surpassing men after age 55.
The standard high-calorie American junk food diet, consisting mostly of foods high in cholesterol, contributes to increasing cholesterol numbers. But as noted before, diet is but one of many contributing factors. Deeper discovery requires a closer examination of the diet.
Everyone knows that fast food has high levels of saturated fats directly related to obesity and any number of other health issues. Saturated fats are a tremendously detrimental to health which raise LDL or bad cholesterol levels more than any other food ingredient.
The influence of Triglycerides is not as well known. High triglyceride levels heighten the odds of cardiovascular trouble. The level of concern begins between 150 mg/dl to more than 200 mg/dl (any number above this is dangerously high) and may require medications. Major risk factors for dangerous Triglyceride levels are excess weight, smoking, little exercise, genetics, some diseases and pharmaceutical side effects, and lastly, a high carbohydrate consumption.
How can you fight back? First, eat the proper diet. Do not consume highly saturated fats as much as is possible because LDL numbers are dangerously affected. Don’t overeat at meals. Exercise regularly. Interestingly, benefical HDL levels increase with a consistent and effective exercise routine.
As you can see, the cause of high cholesterol can be as straight forward as being overweight and sedentary. Regardless of your high cholesterol causes, consult your doctor and develop a healthier lifestyle to lower your high cholesterol before tragedy strikes.
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