We have heard people talk about cholesterol and how high cholesterol isn’t good for the body. We have seen food boxes and labels advertise when certain foods have lower cholesterol. So what’s the big deal? Cholesterol is a fatty substance that is essential for your body to function properly as it helps with cell walls and hormones. However, too much can be detrimental to your health.
High levels of cholesterol can contribute to a risk of heart disease. This is because high cholesterol can create fatty deposits in your blood vessels, making it difficult for blood to flow through your arteries freely. It can be really dangerous if the fatty deposits suddenly break and form a clot in your arteries. This can lead to a sudden heart attack or stroke. There’s no doubt that having high cholesterol is dangerous for your health. Taking supplements to lower cholesterol may help to support healthier levels of cholesterol in your body.
What Causes It: Poor Diet
As mentioned before, higher cholesterol causes fatty deposits to build in your arteries, which can increase your risk of heart disease and other major health problems. The most common cause of higher cholesterol is a poor diet. Eating foods that have a high level of saturated fat can increase cholesterol to unhealthy levels.
Foods that are high in cholesterol are full-fat dairy items, red meat, processed meat, fried foods, and baked goods. Dairy items can be high in saturated fat, and items like cheese are high in sodium. Red meat is also high in saturated fat and cholesterol content. If you choose to eat red meat, it’s better to choose lean cuts of beef and choose lower-fat meats such as chicken. Processed meat is very high in sodium and has low nutrition.
Items like sausage and bacon are typically made from the fatty part of beef and pork. Fried foods that are cooked in a deep fryer contain a high amount of saturated fat and cholesterol because of the oil they are cooked in. It’s better to try baking chicken or turkey or using an air fryer that requires much less oil to cook. Baked goods most likely have butter or shortening in them, which means they are also high in saturated fat and cholesterol.
The high contents of sugar also don’t positively contribute to overall wellness. If you are a sweet tooth, it’s best to choose desserts that don’t have much shortening or butter in them. Or, you can find a substitute like applesauce for your ingredients that are high in saturated fat and cholesterol. If you have eaten these foods and have signs of higher cholesterol, you may want to consider supplements to lower cholesterol in your body. Some examples of food to avoid or limit consumption of are:
- Butter
- Full-fat cheese
- Steak
- Bacon
- Sausage
- French fries
- Cake
- Doughnuts
What Causes It: Smoking
Another cause of high cholesterol is smoking. Smoking can lower high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol and cause harm to the lining of the blood vessels. HDL carries fatty deposits to the liver, and smoking can inhibit HDL from moving deposits out of the arteries causing them to become more narrow. This can lead to the potential of blood clots and possible heart attacks. Taking a supplement to lower cholesterol may help HDL transport fatty deposits to the liver more easily.
What Causes It: Obesity, Age, Family History
Some other reasons that may cause higher cholesterol are obesity, age, and your family history. Many people who struggle with an excess weight typically consume more low-density lipoprotein (LDL), which can lead to the buildup of cholesterol in the walls of your arteries. Age may also play a role in cholesterol. Older adults tend to get less exercise which can lead to higher levels of cholesterol.
Even if you eat well, have a healthy body weight, and don’t smoke, you may still be at risk of having higher cholesterol. Higher cholesterol can run in the family. This is called familial hypercholesterolemia, which means individuals may have higher levels of LDL in their system, leading to higher cholesterol. If this is something that runs in your family, you may want to consider taking supplements to lower cholesterol.
How to Treat It
There can be many causes of higher cholesterol. There are also many ways to lower cholesterol. You can eliminate foods that are high in saturated fat and sodium. Maintaining a healthy diet can help support good levels of cholesterol. Avoiding habits such as smoking can help your body properly transport fatty deposits to the liver. You can also take supplements to lower cholesterol. Maybe it runs in your family, or you are older in age. If that’s the case, you can take supplements to lower cholesterol and support healthy levels of cholesterol in your body.
Maintaining Levels of Cholesterol
High cholesterol can be dangerous and put you at risk for heart disease and other harmful conditions such as a heart attack or stroke. Poor diets, smoking, obesity, age, and family history all have the potential to cause high cholesterol in your body. By eating well, avoiding smoking, exercising, and taking supplements to lower cholesterol, you can help support the levels of cholesterol in your body and maintain overall wellness.
