Define Cholesterol
Cholesterol is created by liver in our body, along with the food source that we eat such as eggs, meat, dairy products, and meats. We rely on cholesterol to keep our body function properly, but having too much of cholesterol will result in serious health issues, including heart disease or even atherosclerosis- hardening of arteries.
The body only require small amount of cholesterol to produce Vitamin D, hormones and some of the bile acid for the stomach and the intestines to digest fat.
Coronary Disease and Cholesterol
When the body has too much cholesterol it begins to develop plaque (a hard, thick,sticky deposit) that can easily line the inside of the arteries. Over time, the plaque begins to build up and restrict the flow blood to the heart. Eventually the hardening plaque will cause atherosclerosis, or hardening of the arteries, which will eventually lead to heart disease or, if left unchecked, even death.
With cholesterol build-up on the artery walls and the restriction of blood that carries oxygen, the individual might experience heart chest pain (angina). When the blood flow has been completely cut-off to the heart, a heart attack could result. This is usually a result of a sudden block in the artery caused by a blood clot which is formed from the plaque.
High Cholesterol Factors
There are many factors that can significantly affect cholesterol levels in the body. Based on these underlying conditions, the individual can experience various levels of cholesterol at any point in their life, even at a young age. These factors are:
An Unhealthy Diet - Consuming foods high in saturated fat tends to generate high levels of cholesterol. These foods include meats, animal organs (liver, kidneys, sweetbreads, and others), cheeses, dairy products, and eggs.
Excessive Weight - Being overweight can be a major risk factor for heart disease, which is often due to increased levels of cholesterol. However, losing up to 10% of your body weight has been shown to lower harmful LDL cholesterol levels while increasing the good HDL cholesterol.
Lack of Regular Exercise - It has been proven that regular physical exercise can help raise good cholesterol level, HDL, and at the same time lower the bad cholesterol level, LDL.
Your Age and Gender- Cholesterol naturally begins to rise as metabolism begins to slows down at age after age 20. In men, cholesterol level generally stabilized after age 50. In women, cholesterol level stays relatively low until menopause, then it rises to about the same level as in men.
Lifestyle change such as, avoiding bad cholesterol foods, quitting smoking and working out in a regular basis, is the most natural way for lowering cholesterol level. For those who have family record of high blood cholesterol, it is recommended to have their cholesterol levels tested once a year as this condition can be developed unnoticed without any symptoms or signs. Therefore, it is best to discover the problem before it's too late.
Cholesterol is created by liver in our body, along with the food source that we eat such as eggs, meat, dairy products, and meats. We rely on cholesterol to keep our body function properly, but having too much of cholesterol will result in serious health issues, including heart disease or even atherosclerosis- hardening of arteries.
The body only require small amount of cholesterol to produce Vitamin D, hormones and some of the bile acid for the stomach and the intestines to digest fat.
Coronary Disease and Cholesterol
When the body has too much cholesterol it begins to develop plaque (a hard, thick,sticky deposit) that can easily line the inside of the arteries. Over time, the plaque begins to build up and restrict the flow blood to the heart. Eventually the hardening plaque will cause atherosclerosis, or hardening of the arteries, which will eventually lead to heart disease or, if left unchecked, even death.
With cholesterol build-up on the artery walls and the restriction of blood that carries oxygen, the individual might experience heart chest pain (angina). When the blood flow has been completely cut-off to the heart, a heart attack could result. This is usually a result of a sudden block in the artery caused by a blood clot which is formed from the plaque.
High Cholesterol Factors
There are many factors that can significantly affect cholesterol levels in the body. Based on these underlying conditions, the individual can experience various levels of cholesterol at any point in their life, even at a young age. These factors are:
An Unhealthy Diet - Consuming foods high in saturated fat tends to generate high levels of cholesterol. These foods include meats, animal organs (liver, kidneys, sweetbreads, and others), cheeses, dairy products, and eggs.
Excessive Weight - Being overweight can be a major risk factor for heart disease, which is often due to increased levels of cholesterol. However, losing up to 10% of your body weight has been shown to lower harmful LDL cholesterol levels while increasing the good HDL cholesterol.
Lack of Regular Exercise - It has been proven that regular physical exercise can help raise good cholesterol level, HDL, and at the same time lower the bad cholesterol level, LDL.
Your Age and Gender- Cholesterol naturally begins to rise as metabolism begins to slows down at age after age 20. In men, cholesterol level generally stabilized after age 50. In women, cholesterol level stays relatively low until menopause, then it rises to about the same level as in men.
Lifestyle change such as, avoiding bad cholesterol foods, quitting smoking and working out in a regular basis, is the most natural way for lowering cholesterol level. For those who have family record of high blood cholesterol, it is recommended to have their cholesterol levels tested once a year as this condition can be developed unnoticed without any symptoms or signs. Therefore, it is best to discover the problem before it's too late.
About the Author:
Terry Howser has been a victim of high level of bad cholesterol since when he was a teenager and he is now dedicated to share his experiences and knowledge on fighting cholesterol through his blog hoping to help others to overcome their problems with high cholesterol levels.
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