There are a number of different factors that can influence what causes high cholesterol. Your genetics, your lifestyle choices (active vs. lethargic), your diet (healthy eating vs. fast food junkie), and your habits (drinking, smoking etc.) are some of the primary factors that determine your risks for high cholesterol. The tendency to have high blood cholesterol levels varies from one person to another — no two cases are alike; much like fingerprints. Some of the risk factors are within your control, while others cannot be changed. If you are in a position where your fixed risk factors put you into a high risk category then you should be looking at making major changes to your lifestyle in order to compensate.
Fixed Risk Factors
Fixed risk factors mean that there isn’t much you can do about them, but they are really important considerations when investigating causes of your high cholesterol. Some of these include:
- Genetics: If you had a brother or a father who had a heart attack or stroke before he reached the age of 55, or a female relative such as a sister or mother who had a stroke or heart attack before the age of 65 you will be in a much higher risk category. Family history should always be taken into account when it comes to your health, which is why the first thing the doctor will ask is, “Do you have a history of high cholesterol, or heart disease in your family?”
- Your sex: If you are a male, then your risk profile is much higher than that of a pre-menopausal female. Before menopause, the hormones in a woman’s body offer her the benefit of increased HDL cholesterol levels (the “good” cholesterol) thus improving her overall cholesterol ratio and reducing the risk of heart attacks or stroke.
- Menopause: On the other hand, if you are female and experienced early onset menopause, then your risk profile is elevated and you are twice as likely to develop heart related issues later in life than someone who did not go through early menopause according to the study reported here.
- Age: The older you are the higher your cholesterol levels are likely to be. This is a fact of life, which is why your doctor will always advocate diet and lifestyle change as your advance through your years.
- Ethnicity: Studies have shown that certain ethnic groups have a greater predisposition to high cholesterol; African Americans top the list.
Lifestyle Factors
While there isn’t much you can do about the fixed factors mentioned above, the lifestyle factors mentioned below are entirely under your control. The higher your risk is based on the fixed factors above, the more you should work on eliminating the lifestyle factors listed below.
- Sedentary living: The link between exercise (or lack thereof) and cholesterol levels has long been understood. Even a little bit of exercise can do your cholesterol levels a world of good. Start with something simple and work it up to 30 minutes a day at the minimum. Incorporate a mix of different exercises that include intense workouts. Studies show that intense exercise can help increase your HDL cholesterol levels and decrease your triglycerides levels, shielding you from developing coronary heart disease.
- Obesity: The sad truth about Americans is that about 60 to 70% are either overweight or obese. Obesity puts you into a higher risk for all kinds of health conditions, and cardio-vascular disease is no exception. The problem with being obese or overweight is that you tend to have higher LDL cholesterol levels (the “bad” cholesterol) in your blood, which is linked to a higher risk of heart disease. What makes it worse is that, being overweight puts a lot of demand on your heart to pump the necessary blood to circulate in your body. Losing weight can help to decrease your cholesterol levels and make you much healthier overall.
- Excessive alcohol intake: Drinking too much can contribute to both weight gain and high cholesterol. Reducing it to the absolute minimum is a great start since studies show that a small amount of red wine may help you increase HDL cholesterol levels.
- Smoking: It is thought that smoking can decrease your HDL cholesterol levels and thus increase your risk of cardio vascular disease. This study of 1,500 smokers representative of the US population indicated that those who quit smoking saw an average increase of 5% in their HDL cholesterol levels. Both heavy smokers and light smokers were observed to get this benefit when they quit smoking.
- Unhealthy eating habits: With the fast paced life we have these days, it is easy to succumb to the lure of fast food or pre-packaged processed food. Unfortunately, most of these tend to be high in hydrogenated trans fat which is thought to be the leading cause of food-related cholesterol. Switching to low cholesterol foods and making a conscious effort to eat a healthy and balanced diet which incorporates more plants and less animal products can make a huge difference to your cholesterol. Eating less salt can also help a great deal in managing a high cholesterol condition.
- Stress: While it is not quite clear why stress causes increase in LDL levels and decrease in HDL levels, many studies have shown that a link does exist between stress and cholesterol levels. One possible reason is that most people tend to eat junk food and exercise less when under stress. Another explanation is that stress probably triggers primitive instincts in the human body resulting in the generation of hormones and higher cholesterol levels. Whatever the actual reason is, it is better to reduce the stress to control the cholesterol levels.
Other Factors
There are other conditions which can complicate and exacerbate high cholesterol. If you are serious about managing your cholesterol levels, then you should seriously consider treating these conditions if they arise:
- High blood pressure
- High triglyceride levels
- Kidney disease
- Diabetes
Even though fixed risk factors cannot be altered, you can work around them and make changes to your lifestyle where appropriate. If you have more than one or more fixed risk factor then your chances of contracting cardio vascular disease are exponentially higher. Make a conscious and continued effort to eliminate the lifestyle factors to keep heart attack or stroke at bay.