How To Lower High Cholesterol Levels
Cholesterol, We hear about it all over the place, but how much do you really know about it?
Cholesterol in and of itself is not a bad thing. It is actually a type of fat that your body needs. The problem occurs when you have too much cholesterol in your body. An excess of cholesterol can increase the risk of heart attack and stroke.
There are two different types of cholesterol. There is ldl and the hdl. The ldl is the bad cholesterol and needs to be kept at a low level. The hdl is the “good” cholesterol and should be kept at high levels.
Cholesterol comes from foods as well as being produced by your liver. The key is that your liver actually produces most of the cholesterol that is needed by your body in order to function properly.
Cholesterol should be below 200 milligrams per deciliter. If your level is between 200 and 239 milligrams per deciliter then you are borderlining the high side. 240 milligrams per deciliter or higher is too high.
The causes for high cholesterol include:
- Genetic: runs in the family
- Eating too many foods high in saturated fat
- Weight: Being overweight can increase your hdl and triglyceride levels
- Activity level: lack of physical activity can increase the ldl level and decrease the hdl level
- Age: after you turn 20 your cholesterol levels naturally begin to rise
- Having certain diseases
- Smoking cigarettes
Having high cholesterol is not like having arthritis or heart trouble. There are no visible symptoms that can clue you in to the issue. Instead, it is found when you go in for regular check-ups through blood tests.
The treatment will vary depending on how high your cholesterol is. Most of the time changing your diet, getting more exercise, and losing weight will take lower your cholesterol, although sometimes medications are necessary. The goal in the treatment is to get the ldl count down and the hdl count up.
It is wise to have your cholesterol level checked on a regular basis. Keeping your cholesterol in check can help to prevent major health problems.