The Three Most Common Causes of High LDL Cholesterol

Many people are now becoming aware of the risks of having high levels of LDL cholesterol in their bloodstream. After finding out about these risks, it is natural to wonder how to lower LDL cholesterol levels. However, the the best way to begin changing a situation is to determine where it began. In this article, I examine three of the most common causes of high LDL cholesterol so that people understand this health problem and may better address it.

High LDL Cholesterol Cause #1 - Physical Inactivity
Physical inactivity is one of the principal causes of high LDL cholesterol. If you do not exercise regularly or stay active, it's possible that you have a higher level of bad cholesterol than you would if you were active. One of the best things that you can do for your body and yourself is to exercise regularly. This will help you to lower your LDL cholesterol and stay in shape in general.

High LDL Cholesterol Cause #2 - Poor Diet
Diets high in saturated fats can increase levels of LDL cholesterol in the bloodstream. This is why people attempting to lower their cholesterol are supposed to stay away from fatty meats and fried foods. Limit your intake of red meat and fatty foods if you wish to reduce the impact that your diet has on your LDL cholesterol level.

High LDL Cholesterol Cause #3 - Genetics
For some people, high cholesterol is a family problem. Genetics can greatly influence the levels of all types of cholesterol in your bloodstream. For this reason, it is good to know your family history of heart disease and cholesterol problems so that you can make health dietary and exercise decisions. There is a condition known as familial hypercholesterolemia, in which many members of a family have abnormally high levels of cholesterol in their bloodstream. While not every family that has a history of high cholesterol has this condition, it is worth being aware of. There's nothing that you can do to change your genetics directly, but you can stay active and eat well if you know that you have a family history of high LDL cholesterol.

While lowering LDL cholesterol is not easy, making an effort to improve your health can improve both your quality of life and life span. If you have any firsthand experience with high LDL cholesterol due to one of the above reasons or another, please feel free to share your story in the form of a comment. Thank you for reading!