6 Causes of High Cholesterol You Should Know

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There are many causes of high cholesterol. This may include your family history, age, gender and what you eat.

Below are the most common causes of high cholesterol, you should know:

Smoking

It should be no surprise that smoking is bad for your health. But did you know that it can also lower your HDL or high-density lipo-protein levels, while also causing physical harm to the lining of blood vessels. This can raise the risk of of developing blood clots, which can also lead to atherosclerosis or the hardening of the arteries.

Your Diet

Consuming too much saturated fat, such as those foods that come from animals. This includes pork, veal, beef, eggs and butter contains saturated fat. Also packaged foods that contain palm oil, coconut oil and cocoa butter contains saturated fat. Saturated fats are also found in vegetable shortening, cookies, snacks, chips and crackers.

To fight high cholesterol, add whole grains into your diet and consume plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables. Also replace replace less healthy red meat with heart-healthy types of fish, like tuna, cod, tuna and halibut which contains omega 3 fatty acids known to help maintain heart health.

Age

As you aged, the more likely you will have to deal with high cholesterol. Cholesterol levels begin to rise after reaching the age 20.

Cholesterol levels generally level off after age 50 for men. While in women, cholesterol levels stay fairly low until menopause. After menopause they rise to about the same level as in men.

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Excess Weight

Having excess weight is a major part of having high cholesterol. This is because being overweight increase triglycerides and decrease good cholesterol or HDL.

Activity Level

Lack of physical activity increases bad cholesterol or LDL. So get off that couch and get moving.

Family History

Is some cases, the cause of high cholesterol is your family history or familial hypercholesterolemia, which means a family history of high cholesterol. This also means that you are at risk of developing coronary artery disease or having a heart attack.

It is therefore important for both men and women, no matter their weight, diet and activity levels, to see their doctor regularly about their cholesterol.

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