There are many factors that can be cause of high cholesterol level, such as food intake, family history, or certain disease.
High cholesterol problems experienced by hundreds of millions of people around the world. The main cause is mostly because of the food. But there are other causes besides the food that you should know. The characteristics of the body having high cholesterol is a pain or stiffness in the neck to the shoulders, on the side of head, leg swelling, easily tired and sleepy. High cholesterol is a risk factor for heart and blood vessels disease. The worst risk, the clumps of fat can block blood flow so that it can lead to death from a heart attack or stroke.
Actually, cholesterol is needed by the body, but without any intake of cholesterol from the foods, the needs of cholesterol are met properly. Because 80 percent of cholesterol is produced in the body (liver) and 20 percent of the rest is from the food. Someone said to have normal cholesterol levels if the level is 160-200 mg, while incoming hazardous condition if it is above 240 mg because it can cause a stroke.
Seven cause of high cholesterol that most people experience are:
1. Daily food intake
Cholesterol is generally derived from animal fats such as goat meat, although quite a few are derived from vegetable fats like coconut milk and coconut oil. Some foods that are believed to be healthy as long as eggs, also contain lots of cholesterol. Foods that contain too much saturated fat can be a cause of high cholesterol, so it is advisable to wisely consume everyday foods. Begin limiting food such as beef, lamb, milk, eggs, butter and cheese because they contain saturated fat. Foods that contain coconut oil, palm oil or butter also has a lot of saturated fat. Saturated fats are often found in snack foods that contain margarine, cooking oil and cookies.
2. Body weight
Excess weight not only interfere with performance but more adverse health effects, as well as a cause of high cholesterol. Being overweight may increase triglycerides and lower HDL (good cholesterol).
3. Lack of activity
The human body is designed to always move so it is advisable to move much. Consider whether your activities more into sitting or sleeping and less of activities. Less mobile can increase LDL (bad cholesterol) and lowers HDL (good cholesterol), thus it could be one cause of high cholesterol.
4. Age and sex
Age and sex can also be the cause of high cholesterol. Upon reaching the age of 20 years, cholesterol levels tend to rise. In men, cholesterol levels generally continued to increase after age 50 years. In women, cholesterol levels will stay down at menopause, after which cholesterol level in women tends to be high as in men.
5. Certain diseases
You may have tried to stay away from fatty food but you still have high cholesterol. Having certain diseases such as diabetes or hypothyroidism can also be the cause of high cholesterol. You must talk to your doctor about this.
6. Family history
Family history is also cause of high cholesterol problem. Cholesterol may also run in the family. If one family member had a high cholesterol problem so be careful because your risk of having high cholesterol is also high.
As you may already now, smoking doubled your risk in every disease, as well as the cause of high cholesterol. Smoking can lower your good cholesterol circulating in the body, so that only the bad cholesterol left. This bad cholesterol if not controlled can be fatal. Try to quit smoking if you are now smoking.