Things That Can Raise Your Cholesterol Levels

Cholesterol is an essential substance in your blood that is fat-like. Your body makes use of cholesterol to build the vitamins, hormones, and cells that keep you healthy and alive. However, increased levels of cholesterol causes various medical complications like a high risk of stroke, heart disease, and other medical complications. To give you an insight into the importance of the topic, this article will look into the impact and reasons of what causes high cholesterol.

Symptoms of High Cholesterol

We are surrounded by the risk of high cholesterol every day. But seeing any noticeable symptoms of it is difficult. By the time it comes to your attention, you need to take immediate action. Only a blood test can confirm whether you have high cholesterol or not.

Impact of Cholesterol on the Human Body

Before getting into what increases cholesterol levels, let us first understand how it impacts the human body.  Increased cholesterol causes the buildup of this fat-like substance and other deposits into the arteries (your heart's wall tube through which blood flows). This will then lead to reduced blood flow and cause the following complications:

• Chest Pain
• Heart Attack
• Stroke

Causes of High Cholesterol in the Human Body

There are several reasons for high cholesterol in the body. Some of the major cholesterol causes are as follows:

Unhealthy Lifestyle Choices

Smoking, frequently drinking alcohol, lack of any physical activity, eating foods that cause cholesterol, and stress are factors that can add to high cholesterol. To prevent or maintain your cholesterol levels, you need to keep an eye on your everyday lifestyle habits and make small changes to see big benefits.

High Cholesterol Foods

The human body naturally produces cholesterol. But certain foods can also add to that. Foods that cause cholesterol are as follows:

1. Red meats (such as lamb, pork, and beef)
2. Fried foods
3. Processed meats (like bacon, hot dogs, and sausage)
4. Baked food items (like pastry, cookies, and cakes)

Family History

Cholesterol levels running in the family are frequently similar. Thus, your family history increases your chances of having high cholesterol. High cholesterol DNA being carried down from parents to kids can result in a medical condition called familial hypercholesterolemia.

If there is a previous family history that shows high cholesterol, then your body might find it more difficult to remove the bad cholesterol.

Previous Medical Conditions

Several health issues increase the chances of high cholesterol levels. They are brought on by poor lifestyle choices. For example, the lack of exercise and poor diet can result in obesity and being overweight. These are connected to medical conditions like sleep apnea and diabetes. The illness, as well as its medication, can cause unhealthy cholesterol levels in patients with HIV and lupus.

If you suffer from any one of the following, consult a medical professional about the dangers of increased cholesterol:

1. HIV infection
2. Diabetes
3. Chronic kidney disease
4. Obesity and overweight
5. Hypothyroidism
6. PCOS or Polycystic ovary syndrome
7. Sleep apnea
8. Lupus erythematosus

Certain Medicines

These are also medications that doctors prescribe to treat other health issues that can boost your "bad" cholesterol and decrease your "good" cholesterol. Some of the below-mentioned medications can be the reason for the increase of cholesterol levels in the body:

1. Diuretics (like thiazide, which is used for high blood pressure)
2. Chemotherapy medicines (for cancer treatment)
3. Immunosuppressive medicines (like cyclosporine, which is used to prevent organ transplant rejection or treatment of Inflammatory diseases)
4. Retinoids (used for acne treatment)
5. Beta-blockers (to treat high blood pressure or to relieve chest pain)
6. Arrhythmia medicines (like amiodarone)
7. Steroids (such as prednisone, which is used for the treatment of inflammatory diseases like rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis, and lupus)

Age

Young kids can also experience the effects of unhealthy blood cholesterol. High cholesterol, on the other hand, is more typically detected in adults aged 40 to 59. The metabolism of your body alters as you age. The liver no longer removes "bad" cholesterol as efficiently as it once did. As you become older, these common changes can raise your chances of getting high blood cholesterol.

How to Lower the Chances of High Cholesterol?

Since several factors cause high cholesterol, you need to keep an eye on both your diet and habits. You can do so by maintaining the following tips:

• Include vegetables and fruits in your everyday diet
• Avoid food items that contain high sugar and fat
• Eat bread, pasta, rice, and cereals made out of whole grains
• Consume more baked, roasted, poached, or broiled food than fried ones
• Avoid consuming the fat and skin from fish, meat, and poultry
• Dedicate 30 minutes every day to full-body exercise

To Sum Up

Even with a family history of high cholesterol, a lifestyle that promotes a healthy heart can help avoid harmful blood cholesterol levels. Heart-healthy habits that begin as a kid and that are continued throughout a lifetime can help avoid high blood cholesterol as well as blood vessels and heart disorders, including stroke and heart attack.

FAQs

How much cholesterol is high cholesterol?

Doctors suggest that your entire blood cholesterol level must be less than 200 mg/dL.

Is there a need to be worried about my cholesterol levels?

With increased blood cholesterol, the possibility of developing cardiovascular disorders that involve heart diseases is high. What high cholesterol in your blood does is it builds up within the walls of arteries that deliver blood to your heart. Over time, this buildup produces less oxygen and blood to reach your heart. It can result in a heart attack and chest pains. A high cholesterol level might also raise your chance of having a stroke.

How do I lower the reasons for high cholesterol?

You can lower cholesterol levels by maintaining the following tips:

• Consume vegetables and fruits every day
• Consume whole grains
• Engage in exercises every day
• Cut down on sugar and fat consumption