The Risk Factors Of High Cholesterol – Ones You Can Change and Ones You Can’t

The most prominent risk factors of high cholesterol are heart disease and stroke, the two biggest killers of Americans. High cholesterol is caused by diet and lifestyle, as well as genetics and the aging process.

Cholesterol is a type of fat-like substance in our blood. Our bodies need a small amount of cholesterol for several important biological processes. Your liver makes cholesterol, and we also consume it in foods. Cholesterol is found in animal products, including red meat, egg yolks, and full-fat dairy products including butter, cream and cheese.

Here are the risk factors of high cholesterol that are under your control, and the ones that aren’t.

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4 Risk Factors of High Cholesterol You Can Control

1.Diet

While the liver makes some cholesterol, most cholesterol comes through our diet. Saturated fats, trans fats, and dietary cholesterol are the biggest sources. Dietary cholesterol is only found in animal products such as red meat, full-fat dairy and egg yolk. The same foods contain saturated fat, which is also found in coconut oil and palm kernel oil. Trans fats are a type of manufactured fat found in processed foods, pastries, and baked goods, and there is no safe level of consumption.

To keep cholesterol low, limit the amount of saturated fats and dietary cholesterol you eat. Instead, eat plenty of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and emphasize lean proteins such as legumes, fish, and skinless chicken. Omega-3 fatty acids, found in fatty fish, walnuts and flaxseed, may be particularly helpful in managing cholesterol, as are foods high in fiber.

2. Weight

Excess weight is a risk factor for high cholesterol. Fortunately, the same high-fiber diet that brings down cholesterol numbers may also contribute to weight loss.

3. Exercise

When we exercise, our bodies use fat (including cholesterol) as fuel. High cholesterol is most often found in people who have a sedentary lifestyle. All adults should get at least 150 minutes of moderate intensity or 75 minutes of high intensity exercise per week, while children should get at least an hour of activity a day.

4. Stress

Stress raises cholesterol independently of other risk factors, and it may also lead to poor dietary choices and lack of sleep, further harming your health. If your stress is out of control, it’s important to find ways to manage it.

Mindfulness meditation can help you learn to relax and calm negative thinking. Getting regular exercise and eating healthily can also help keep your stress levels in check. If, however, your work demands excess overtime and creates excess stress that you can’t control, you make need to make a change for the sake of your health.

2 Risk Factors of High Cholesterol You Can’t Control

1.Genetics

The amount of cholesterol that our bodies make is determined by genetics, as is your sensitivity to cholesterol. If your parents or grandparents have a history of high cholesterol, coronary heart disease or heart attack, particularly before age 55, let your doctor know. You may need more frequent cholesterol checks.

2. Age

Our cholesterol numbers and our heart attack risk slowly increase as we age. That’s why it’s important to keep an eye your cholesterol numbers with tests every few years.

9 Things You Can Do To Help You Live Longer

While we can’t control our genetics or our age, most of the risk factors for high cholesterol are within our control. Believe it or not, we do actually have some degree of control over our life expectancy! If you want to know exactly where you should be focusing your efforts to live a healthier lifestyle check out my free report Top 9 Things You Can Do For Your Health To Help You Live Longer. The choices you make about your lifestyle don’t mean that you and your loved ones have to live shorter lives.