Changing a few small but bad habits can change the quality of life and dramatically affect the level of health. Understand what factors lead to elevated blood cholesterol levels and what these test data indicate. You will also learn what needs to be done to normalize this indicator.
Main causes of high cholesterol
The content of a certain amount of this natural fat-like substance in the human body is normal. This “harmful” molecule plays an important role for the proper functioning of the immune and nervous systems, is involved in the production of hormones, vitamin D. When cholesterol in the blood rises, this clearly indicates health disorders that need to be paid serious attention. The accumulation of the substance leads to atherosclerosis. Cholesterol plaques form on the walls of blood vessels, often leading to heart attacks and strokes.
Most of the fat-like substance - about 80% - is produced directly in the body. Sometimes the causes of high cholesterol can be hereditary and can be explained by a genetic predisposition. However, even in this case, the decisive factor, whether this indicator will exceed the norm, will depend on the way of life of a person. A change from a normal level to a high level can be the result of diseases, for example:
- diabetes;
- some liver diseases;
- thyroid problems;
- as a result of long-term drug use.
According to medical statistics, in most cases, the sick themselves lead to this condition. So, the group of patients who, due to their daily habits, are at risk of getting high cholesterol levels include people:
- regularly overeating, in the diet of which there is a lot of fatty, sweet food;
- overweight, and people who have more fat on their stomachs are especially susceptible to high cholesterol: men with a waist circumference of more than 90, and women - over 80 cm;
- smokers and alcohol abusers;
- leading a sedentary lifestyle;
- subject to frequent stress.
What does high blood cholesterol mean?
Normal cholesterol values determined in medical practice differ depending on the sex and age group to which the person belongs. At a young age, an increased rate is more common in men. Upon reaching the menopause, the chances of women getting such unpleasant changes in the body increase. Due to the severe consequences for the cardiovascular system, doctors recommend paying attention to the causes of high cholesterol and trying to avoid them, and over the age of 20, take control tests every 5 years.
General
If laboratory data show the level of this substance is more than 5.2 mmol / l, it's time to think about the causes of high total cholesterol, because an alarm bell has already sounded for the health of your body. After receiving such results, doctors prescribe an additional analysis - a lipidogram. The study will reveal what ratio of "bad" and "good" fat-like substance is present in the blood.
The first type includes low-density lipoproteins - LDL, they cause atherosclerotic transformations. Up to a certain point, the body itself struggles with such negative changes. This work is done by high-density lipoproteins - HDL, which are called "good" cholesterol. They remove plaque and are then oxidized in the liver and excreted by the excretory system. If there are more and more harmful particles due to their large intake with food or due to other permissible excesses, the body itself cannot cope, and the person begins to get sick.
LDL-cholesterol is elevated
It is very important to think about the causes of high bad cholesterol if the lipid profile shows a high level of low density lipoproteins. This fraction of the substance, settling on the walls of the arteries, forms plaques. Such formations, if no action is taken to reduce them and prevent the appearance of new ones, lead to blockage of blood vessels and thrombosis. When LDL cholesterol is elevated, a person already has a high risk of a heart attack or cerebral hemorrhage - conditions that threaten disability, paralysis, and even death.
What to do if your blood cholesterol is high
The very first recommendation if you need to lower your cholesterol is to find a good doctor whom you can fully trust and follow all his recommendations. It is difficult to cope with such a serious problem on your own, because changes can be effectively controlled only by the results of blood tests. It is better to reduce high cholesterol gradually, so that the plaques formed will remain stable, their rupture and clogging of blood vessels will be prevented. A qualified specialist will help you choose the optimal treatment and prevention regimen.
You will need to remove the causes of high cholesterol, because the most effective and expensive treatment will not help if lifestyle changes are not made:
- If your weight exceeds the norm, normalize it with the help of feasible, but regular physical activity.
- Forget about bad nutrition. Include more grains, fiber-rich fruits and vegetables, and fatty fish that contain omega-3 fatty acids.
- Learn to deal with stress, because we often eat worries with goodies that are not useful in the long run.
High cholesterol during pregnancy
Such changes in the female body when carrying a child are acceptable. The level of this fat-like substance during pregnancy can rise to twice the norm observed in women of the same age. This is because cholesterol is necessary for the formation of the placenta, it is involved in the production of the hormones necessary for its creation. If the indicator of this substance crossed the indicated two-fold milestone, such an elevated level can cause problems in the development of the baby's cardiovascular system. Expectant mothers need to avoid causes that provoke cholesterol jumps.
