6 Things That Cause High Cholesterol

High cholesterol is a condition that can compromise the health of your heart. It ensures that harmful substances stick to your artery walls. However, what are the things that cause high cholesterol?

Cholesterol is a type of fat that is naturally excreted by your liver. It supports the cellular activities of your entire body. In addition, your body needs cholesterol for bile formation, hormone production and other important tasks.

Unfortunately, however, problems start to arise when your body takes in too much bad cholesterol (LDL) or is no longer able to synthesize or use it properly.

As a result, your risk of arteriosclerosis increases. In severe cases, you can have a heart attack, develop liver problems, and experience other problems that reduce your quality of life.

The most worrying fact is that many people ignore high cholesterol. They are not aware of the things that could cause an increase in cholesterol levels. That’s why we want to take this opportunity to tell you a little more about some of the things that cause high cholesterol.

1. Eating Habits

Your eating habits can have a big impact on your cholesterol levels. In many cases, it can cause the level of bad cholesterol to rise.

Eating very fatty or processed foods can negatively affect your cholesterol levels. So a diet rich in vegetables and healthy fats makes it easier to keep this level under control.

• It’s important to take a critical look at your diet and identify any foods that can raise the amount of cholesterol in your bloodstream.
• In addition, it can help to increase your consumption of omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin E and essential amino acids.

2. Leading a Sedentary Lifestyle

Leading a sedentary lifestyle is one of the main causes of high cholesterol. When you’re not active, your body loses the ability to convert sources of fat into energy, keeping them in the body.

• Regular exercise – at least 30 minutes a day – will help you control the amount of cholesterol in your bloodstream.
• Cardio exercises, such as walking or cycling, can help lower your cholesterol levels significantly.

3. Being overweight or obese is one of the things that cause high cholesterol

People who are overweight or obese are more likely to suffer from high cholesterol than people who keep their weight stable and healthy. 

The accumulation of fat in the body makes it less able to remove cholesterol from the arteries. This ensures that you will suffer from plaque faster.

It is therefore essential that you keep your body weight under control.  If your weight is slightly overweight, try to adopt a healthier lifestyle that will help you control your weight, as well as your cholesterol levels.

Reducing your BMI by at least 10% can be enough to prevent serious cardiovascular disease.

4. Stress is one of the things that causes high cholesterol

Stress can also be one of the causes of high cholesterol and cardiovascular disease. Not only does stress have a negative impact on your emotional health, this natural enemy can also negatively affect the processes in your body that are responsible for removing cholesterol. 

In addition, people who are often stressed are more likely to make unhealthy food choices to counteract the negative mental consequences.

• That is why it is important to practice relaxation techniques and breathing exercises on a daily basis .
• In addition, you can also choose to eat more healthy things that promote your mental health. Some foods can help by improving your mood and preventing the build-up of this harmful type of fat.

5. Excessive alcohol consumption is also one of the things that cause high cholesterol

Drinking too many alcoholic beverages is also a factor that may be associated with an increased risk of high cholesterol. The toxins in these drinks affect the functions of your heart, blood vessels and liver.

This can make your body less able to synthesize cholesterol properly. In addition, it can result in the accumulation of harmful fats in your arteries.

Therefore, try to avoid drinking alcohol as much as possible, regardless of the occasion. If you have problems with addictions, get professional help to overcome them.

6. Family History of High Cholesterol

In addition, you should keep in mind that a family history of high cholesterol and a genetic predisposition to it can also increase the risk of this problem. 

If there are several people in your family who suffer from high cholesterol, the chance that you will also suffer from it at some point in your life is twice as high.

If this is the case, it is therefore important to develop a healthy lifestyle from an early age. In addition, it would be wise to limit your consumption of foods that contain a lot of cholesterol as much as possible.

This plan should also include regular medical checkups, which can help you determine the seriousness of your situation.

Do you recognize one or more of these factors in yourself? Are you afraid you have high cholesterol? Then do your best to avoid foods that contain a lot of cholesterol. Keep your body fit by adopting healthier habits.