• April 19, 2024

The National Program of Education for Cholesterol of the United States points out that there is a great variety of situations that can affect cholesterol levels, so it recommends knowing what we can do to improve them:

1. Diet. Saturated fats and cholesterol in foods cause the blood cholesterol level to rise. Saturated fat is the main culprit, but cholesterol is also important in meals.

2. Weight. Being overweight is a risk factor for heart disease and tends to increase your cholesterol. Losing weight contributes to decrease the levels of total cholesterol and LDL (bad cholesterol), as well as to raise your HDL (good cholesterol) levels and lower your triglyceride levels.

3. Physical activity. Regular exercise helps lower LDL levels and raise HDL levels. It also helps you lose weight.

Determining factors

1. Age and Sex As men and women age, cholesterol levels increase. Before menopause, women have lower total cholesterol levels than men of the same age. After menopause, women's LDL levels tend to rise.

2. Inheritance Genes determine in part how much cholesterol your body produces. High blood cholesterol can spread in families.

Risk of a heart attack

The higher the level of LDL, the more risk factors you have and the greater the chances of developing a heart disease or having a heart attack.

Some people have a high risk of heart disease, because they have diabetes (which is a strong risk factor).

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