Why does the cholesterol level rise?
It is common for many people to worry when, in a routine blood test, levels of high cholesterol. In fact, we could almost say that, in fact, practically the same thing happens when we find levels of high triglycerides.
In the case of cholesterol, for example, we must bear in mind that their levels are considered high when these figures are above 220 mg / dl. There are even some epidemiological studies that indicate the figure of 200 mg / dl, so that values higher than this amount become a risk of suffering cardiovascular diseases.
Once the existence of hypercholesterolemia has been confirmed (especially when those high cholesterol levels are maintained in time three or six months after the first positive test), the doctor should find out if it is familial hypercholesterolemia, or those high levels are due to certain habits of the person.
Therefore, it is useful to discover Why does the cholesterol level rise and what are the different causes of cholesterol.
What are the main causes of cholesterol increase
Tobacco
The truth is that the consumption of tobacco and cholesterol They are tremendously related. More than you probably think. And it has been shown that medium-term tobacco raises levels of both cholesterol and blood pressure, which predisposes to suffer myocardial infarction or coronary heart disease.
It also predisposes to suffer a stroke. In fact, tobacco lowers the levels of HDL cholesterol and it increases in a very dangerous way the LDL cholesterol.
And why does this happen? Fundamentally because tobacco increases the damage that LDL cholesterol produces on the walls of the arteries, since the carbon monoxide present in cigarettes tends to raise bad cholesterol.
In this way, the formation of fatty plaques in the arteries tends to accelerate, which is medically known as atheroma. As a result of this excessive accumulation, LDL cholesterol continues to accumulate and accumulate, until it partially obstructs the arteries and causes them to become more rigid.
Sedentary
The sedentary lifestyle and therefore the lack of physical exercise not only predisposes to suffer high levels of fats in the blood, it also causes an excess of weight. Therefore, it is essential to practice physical exercise regularly.
In fact, the lack of physical exercise is considered one of the most important risk factors in the risk of the development of cardiovascular diseases, and particularly in the development of heart disease.
As a result, according to the Spanish Heart Foundation, a person who does not practice regular physical exercise and who in fact maintains a sedentary lifestyle has a much greater risk of suffering arteriosclerosis and hypertension, in addition to respiratory diseases.
The main reason is that, in general, a sedentary person usually tends to have excess weight, it is very common to tend to follow an unhealthy and unbalanced diet, and also smoke.
Overweight and obesity
In this case, exactly the same thing happens as with sedentary lifestyle and the null practice of physical activity. Why? Very simple: people with excess weight, either with overweightor with obesity, they usually follow a rather inactive lifestyle.
Thus, People who are overweight are much more likely to have elevated cholesterol and triglyceride levels, not only for the null practice of physical activity, but for the lifestyle that they follow, together with the maintenance of an unbalanced and healthy diet.
Mellitus diabetes
The Mellitus diabetes or type 2 diabetes it is a disease that can be prevented by following healthy habits (both food and health), but once diagnosed, and over time, is a cause of increased cholesterol when poorly controlled.
And, again, we find a cause that is similarly related to the two previous ones: overweight and obesity and sedentary lifestyle. This happens because, usually, diabetes appears as a consequence of following a sedentary lifestyle and unhealthy eating habits.
Moreover, in the case of a person with diabetes, strict control of their cholesterol levels, since these must have lower values than in those who do not have diabetes, given that Diabetes and cholesterol are two risk factorsimportant and dangerous.
Thus, in the case of a person with diabetes, it is appropriate that your LDL cholesterol levels are less than 100 mg / dl.
Food and diet
It is quite evident that one of the fundamental causes of elevated blood cholesterol is both the diet as the diet we follow daily.
In this case, the elevation of cholesterol comes from following an unbalanced diet, based on a diet rich in fats, few natural products and many foods with high caloric content. This article is published for informational purposes only. You can not and should not replace the consultation with a Nutritionist. We advise you to consult your trusted Nutritionist. ThemesCholesterol
