Cholesterol, as defined by the American Heart Association, is a natural substance produced by the body to help in the formation of cells and certain hormones. While healthy in certain amounts, it poses a risk when levels become too high. A variety of factors contribute to your levels, some of which you can control, some of which you cannot.
Your Diet
The National Institutes of Health states that a diet high in saturated fat is a major factor in your cholesterol levels. Saturated fats are typically found in animal products, such as red meats, eggs and dairy. In addition, excess amounts of cholesterol usually go hand in hand with foods high in saturated fat--if you reduce one, you reduce the other, thus, reducing your cholesterol levels.
The Mayo Clinic further explains that eating foods high in trans fats is another cause of high cholesterol levels. These are found in processed and store-bought foods, such as cookies, cakes, pastries and crackers. Eliminating or reducing your intake of these items will help reduce unhealthy levels of bad cholesterol (LDL) and triglycerides.
Smoking Cigarettes
Smoking is not only responsible for raising your LDL levels, but also it decreases the levels of your good cholesterol (HDL). Your good cholesterol, as explained by the American Heart Association Journals, helps carry away the deposits of excess cholesterol from the walls of your blood vessels, before it has a chance to buildup. In essence, the higher your levels of HDL, the lower your risk of heart attack.
The Mayo Clinic states that when you smoke, the walls of your blood vessels become damaged, making it easier for fatty deposits of LDL to accumulate. It may also lower your HDL levels, making it easier for those deposits to remain and continue building, rather than being carried away and excreted.
Sedentary Lifestyle
Another factor within your control, a sedentary lifestyle places you at a higher risk for suffering from high cholesterol, according to the Mayo Clinic. Lack of exercise allows your LDL levels to increase and your HDL levels to decline.
Simply put, the more you exercise, the higher your HDL will be and the lower your LDL levels become. You are then battling this problem in two ways, rather than one. It is always a good idea to speak to a health professional about the best exercise program for you.
Family History
A family history of high cholesterol or heart disease is a factor you cannot control; however, should this pertain to you, it is even more important to pay even closer attention to the factors you can control.
As pointed out by the Mayo Clinic, if a parent or sibling suffers from high cholesterol or developed heart disease prior to the age of 55, you are at an increased risk for developing heart disease, as well. The American Heart Association adds that as men and women become older, it is natural for their cholesterol levels to rise. However, after menopause strikes women, their LDL levels tend to increase.
Having Diabetes
Diabetes and high cholesterol tend to be affiliated with one another, because high blood sugar typically increases levels of LDL, while decreasing levels of HDL. In addition, when blood sugar rises, it damages the lining of the arteries, increasing the likelihood that they will narrow due to the buildup of cholesterol. In many cases, those with diabetes are placed on a cholesterol-lowering medication, because reducing LDL levels is a top priority, according the American Heart Association.
