High Cholesterol Levels ? Here Are 5 Lifestyle Mistakes That Increase The Risk!

Last Updated on December 31, 2019

#7 – Stress

Although there is no consensus among the medical community regarding the fact that stress directly influences cholesterol levels in a negative way, the truth is that a series of studies show a positive correlation between these two factors.

One simple explanation provided by one of these studies is that stress is linked with poor dietary habits and being overweight, two risk factors for high cholesterol.

#8 – Cholesterol Treatment:

Cholesterol is basically measured in 3 different categories, namely: total cholesterol, LDL, and HDL. Recommended values for adults are as follows:
Total cholesterol:

– Less than 200 mg/dL: desirable

– Between 200 and 239 mg/dL: borderline high

– Above 240 mg/dL: high

LDL (bad cholesterol):

– Less than 100 mg/dL: desirable

– Between 100 and 129 mg/dL: acceptable (except for those at high risk of heart disease)

– Between 130 and 159 mg/dL: borderline high

– Between 160 and 189 mg/dL: high

– Above 190 mg/dL: very high

HDL (good cholesterol):

– Less than 40 mg/dL: major risk of heart disease

– Between 41 and 59 mg/dL: borderline low

– Above 60 mg/dL: desirable

People on the dangerous side of this spectrum should be concerned with rebalancing their cholesterol levels.

If changing to a healthy diet and starting to exercise regularly is not enough, other treatment options include cholesterol-lowering drugs such as Atorvastatin or Fluvastatin (among several other high cholesterol medications).

These drugs are known as statins and they work by blocking cholesterol production and promoting the reabsorption of the cholesterol built up in plaques. Side effects include fatigue, statin-induced myopathy, and a greater risk of diabetes.

Speaking of which, high cholesterol is also found to be directly linked to high blood pressure and diabetes. Diabetes lowers the level of good cholesterol while simultaneously raising triglyceride and bad cholesterol levels.

In turn, when the arteries become narrowed with cholesterol plaques, the heart will have to do extra hard work in order to pump enough blood, thus increasing blood pressure to higher levels.

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