Causes Of High Cholesterol And How To Improve Your Numbers Naturally!

What are the causes of high cholesterol? We’ve all heard about high cholesterol, and we all know it’s something we want to avoid, but is all cholesterol bad? How can we improve cholesterol levels? My most recent cholesterol test had a reading of 232 [HDL as 47 and LDL as 145, VLDL total direct was 40] coming from 238. An improvement but the recommended guideline is that normal range is supposed to be within 100 - 199 mg/dL.

My cardiologist is recommending the taking of Statins, which I refused. I'm now on a mission, a serious journey on improving these levels naturally which I'll be sharing with you here.

If you care about your health, you should know about the causes of high cholesterol.  Cholesterol in your blood is determined partly by your genes and partly by how much saturated fat you eat.  It is a chemical that is not truly a fat but is related to fats.  And the reason for that is your body manufactures all the cholesterol it needs for the functioning of cells and hormones.

What you eat, drink, your weight, your exercise program, smoking in all its forms affect your levels of cholesterol, whether they are low or high.

With all that said and done your body need cholesterol to develop, hold your cells together, builds your brains and is part of your hormones - the male sex hormone, testosterone, and the vital adrenal hormone cortisone.

High cholesterol, is more specifically, a high level of certain kinds of LDLs - low density lipoproteins.  This is the bad fats and protein particles that moves cholesterol into your arteries.  Cholesterol places you and your heart at risk for heart disease and heart attacks. It can clog your brain and even build boulders in your gallbladder.

After learning of how impactful cholesterol is to the body, I decided to embrace the practices of mindful eating, where I learned and now teach everyone who is interested in discovering how to build their meals around various food groups, ensuring you get a harmonious mix of carbohydrates, proteins, and fats. This isn't about meticulous calorie counting or restrictive eating; it's about understanding different foods' roles in your health and how they can work together to fuel your body effectively.

This is one of the ways you can help yourself in preventing a heart attack throughout your day while blood flows from your heart circulating and carrying oxygen and other nutrients to every tissue and organ within your body.

Heart Disease

When you hear the term cardiovascular disease it means "all medical conditions affecting your heart and blood vessels".  Some medical conditions, like high blood pressure, can either affect your risk of having high cholesterol or intensify cholesterol’s bad effects.

High blood pressure and high cholesterol affects how your blood is pushed out of the heart at a higher-than-normal pressure putting your heart and blood vessels at even a higher risk factor.

To help protect my heart I'll be increasing my fiber intake. Fiber lowers total cholesterol levels and LDL cholesterol levels. Aside from its digestive benefits, fiber reduces the amount of cholesterol absorbed in the blood. Foods high in fiber include leafy greens, whole grains, beans and legumes, and chia seeds. I happen to enjoy chia seed pudding as a snack.

Heart disease is at the top of the list in people dying, and heart attack is the most common form of heart disease. One of the most significant risk factors for this attack is high cholesterol.

Stuff That Affects Your Cholesterol Numbers

Your health problems regarding causes of high cholesterol come from lifestyle habits.

Lifestyle

Generally, we go to work or to school skipping breakfast or opt for a diet rich in unhealthy fats which can be found in fatty meats, some vegetable oils, poultry skin, pastries, products of white flour, butter or margarine, cheese, chips, biscuits and others of their kind, replace them with heart-healthy alternatives.

Start by eating less saturated fats.

If you eat red meat, have a smaller portion, and fill your plate with lots of fiber-rich vegetables. Trans fats are even worse for cholesterol levels and overall health, so try to avoid them entirely. Trans fats are in processed foods such as margarine and anything that contains partially hydrogenated vegetable oil.

Replace those saturated fats in your diet with healthy unsaturated fats. Start by cooking your meats and fish with olive oil, enjoy nuts and seeds as part of your snacks, and fatty fish such as salmon and mackerel are rich in unsaturated fats. 

These fats provide many health benefits, especially for the heart. Unsaturated fats lower blood pressure and help keep you full for longer, so you’re less likely to overeat. 

Monosaturated and polysaturated fats, that are good for you, are found in fish, chicken, whole grains, nuts, fruits and vegetables.  These foods influence your cholesterol by lowering it to normal measures.  Part of a balanced diet.

Your Weight

Another factor that influences the level of cholesterol is your weight. Exercise improves cholesterol levels because it increases HDL and lowers LDL levels. Yes, being overweight raises your risk but, going on an unbalanced diet and losing weight rapidly is also not good for you.

If you need to lose weight look for a program that emphasizes slow weight loss - no more than 2 pounds per week.  Reaching a healthy weight is an important factor in improving cholesterol levels.

To help me in lowering my cholesterol in preparation for my next reading I have increased my exercising from two or sometimes three days a week to a minimum of four days a week. So I am urging you to try and move your body a few days each week, increasing the amount as you feel comfortable.

You can go for a fast-paced walk, enjoy a morning swim, or attend a fun fitness class. It doesn’t matter what you do, as long as your heart rate increases, and you stay consistent. 

Stress

Among the other causes of high cholesterol is stress - whenever I'm feeling anxious about something or is unsure especially when I am procrastinating, my body tightens up and I have to remember to take deep breaths to relax my body and mind.  Also stress directly affect your eating habits, it also affects mine.  Not handling and controlling your stress increases your cholesterol levels.

Some people tend to eat large amounts of comfort foods, fatty foods or sweets, unconsciously just to manage their stress levels.  This will lead to hypercholerestomia, which is a high level of cholesterol in your blood.

Your blood vessels may then clog, causing a heart attack or stroke.

Sedentary Lifestyle

Most of us sit all day.  We watch television, play games on our computer, drive everywhere.  In fact, we sit more than we should.

Studies show that if you spend most of your time sitting you are prone to gaining weight, and with the lack of any form of activity you are at a higher risk for a heart attack and an early death.

If you do not have the time or cannot get to a gym, take a ten-minute break each hour and do some form of exercise.  Take the stairs if you can instead of an elevator and if time permits take a short walk.

Smoking

Smoking is not just one of the causes of high cholesterol, but it also influences the development of many diseases. It can lead to death and other heart and lung diseases.  One of the most common and deadliest is lung cancer.

I want you to think about this... Do you know to help kick start the process of lowering your levels quickly, just stop smoking. In a few weeks your HDL cholesterol level "good cholesterol" increases, bringing you closer to normal values.

You Have The Power To Change Your Causes Of High Cholesterol

You have total control and the power to lower your risk factor from high cholesterol.  What you eat, how you spend your leisure time and how you work with your doctor will determine where you rank on the cholesterol scale.

I am doing the work to naturally lower my levels. This I accomplished through a Mindful Eating program uniquely designed to revolutionize the relationship with food. A powerful whole plate approach to an eating plan that is all about your unique you. At the same time, it is beneficial in reducing the causes of high cholesterol from affecting my life. Hoping you'll do the same also.

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