Cholesterol is a fat-like substance that your body naturally produces. It is needed for many different functions, including forming cell membranes and producing some hormones, vitamin D, and bile acids.
Our liver produces most of the cholesterol in our bodies; the rest is contributed by the foods we eat. Dietary cholesterol comes only from foods of animal origin, such as liver and other organ meats; egg yolks (but not whites, which have no cholesterol); some seafood such as caviar, squid, and shrimp; and whole-milk dairy products, including butter, cream, and cheese.
Cholesterol cannot travel through the blood on its own because it is a fat, so it needs other molecules to transport it around the body, called lipoproteins. There are many types of these molecules, but the two most important are high-density lipoprotein (HDL) and low-density lipoprotein (LDL):
- HDL is considered good cholesterol because it removes cholesterol from the blood and delivers it to the liver, where it is processed and eliminated from the body.
- LDL is considered bad cholesterol because it carries cholesterol through the blood to the cells and can build up inside the walls of blood vessels.
You can have excess cholesterol if your body produces more than it needs or if you have too much cholesterol in your diet (because your body does not regulate the amount of cholesterol it produces).
What Causes Of High Cholesterol?
Here are the top 7 causes:
1. Obesity
Obesity increases your risk of high cholesterol and other health problems. It is important to maintain a body mass index (BMI) at the level recommended by your doctor.
2. Poor diet
Eating too much saturated fat or trans fat in your diet is not good for your cholesterol levels. Cutting back on these foods can help you control your cholesterol.
3. Smoking
Smoking can increase bad cholesterol and decrease good cholesterol. If you smoke, you should quit.
4. Alcohol use
If you drink too much alcohol, it can increase your total cholesterol. You should consume alcohol in moderation (one drink a day for women and two drinks a day for men) if you do.
5. Sedentary lifestyle
Being inactive is bad for your cholesterol levels and your body in general. Exercising for 30 minutes most days of the week can increase your good cholesterol levels and improve your physical and mental health in many other ways.
6. Uncontrolled stress
Continuously high levels of stress can increase your cholesterol levels. Pay attention to the things in your life that cause stress and, as much as possible, take steps to reduce them.
7. Family history
Some families have a tendency toward high cholesterol. This may be due to genetic factors that are not entirely within your control. In these cases, evidence of high cholesterol often appears early in life, rather than in middle age or old age.
Common tips for reducing bad cholesterol
Make changes to your lifestyle and diet. This includes maintaining a healthy weight through exercise and eating a healthy, balanced diet.
Here are some tips that may help:
- Keep fat intake to 25% to 35% of calories for adults, with most of the fat coming from polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats.
- Eat no more than 5 to 6 percent of calories from saturated fat and no more than 300 mg of cholesterol per day.
- Keep trans fat intake to a minimum, <1% of daily energy intake.
- When it comes to meat, poultry, dried beans and dairy products, choose lean, low-fat or fat-free options. Choose fish, skinless poultry and lean meats.
- Aim for at least 2 servings of fruit and 2 servings of vegetables per day. Foods high in fiber, such as plant foods and whole grains, can help reduce the risk of heart disease.
- Additionally, foods rich in soluble fiber, such as oats, barley, beans, and pectin-rich fruits, can help lower cholesterol in the body, thereby reducing the risk of heart disease.
- Maintain a healthy body weight. Being overweight or obese increases your risk of low good cholesterol, high bad cholesterol, and high triglycerides (Triglycerides are made in the liver and are another type of fat found in the blood and in foods. Increased blood triglyceride levels can be caused by being overweight/obese, a sedentary lifestyle, smoking, drinking too much alcohol, and eating a diet high in carbohydrates (60 percent of calories or more).
Exercise regularly, aim for 150 minutes of physical activity per week. Regular physical activity can help you control your weight and therefore help lower bad cholesterol and triglycerides, while also raising good cholesterol, improving heart and lung health, and lowering blood pressure.
Stop smoking (if you don’t already) because smoking increases triglycerides and lowers good cholesterol.
Avoid alcohol, if you are planning to drink alcohol, limit your alcohol intake to no more than 2 standard drinks for men and 1 standard drink for women per day.
