Cigarette smoking lowers your HDL good cholesterol. HDL helps to remove bad cholesterol from your arteries. So a lower HDL can contribute to a higher level of bad cholesterol. Things outside of your control that can also affect cholesterol levels include: Age and Sex.
As women and men get older, their cholesterol levels rise. Before the age of menopause, women have lower total cholesterol levels than men of the same age. After the age of menopause, women's LDL bad cholesterol levels tend to rise. Your genes partly determine how much cholesterol your body makes. High blood cholesterol can run in families.
Certain races may have an increased risk of high blood cholesterol. How can I lower my cholesterol? There are two main ways to lower your cholesterol : Heart-healthy lifestyle changes, which include: Heart-healthy eating. A heart-healthy eating plan limits the amount of saturated and trans fats that you eat. Weight Management. If you are overweight, losing weight can help lower your LDL bad cholesterol. Everyone should get regular physical activity 30 minutes on most, if not all, days.
Managing stress. Quitting smoking. Quitting smoking can raise your HDL cholesterol. Drug Treatment. If lifestyle changes alone do not lower your cholesterol enough, you may also need to take medicines. While total and LDL cholesterol levels should be kept low, having more HDL cholesterol can offer some protection against a person developing heart-related illnesses including heart attacks and strokes.
Cholesterol levels tend to increase with age. Doctors recommend taking steps earlier in life to prevent dangerously high levels of cholesterol developing as a person ages. Years of unmanaged cholesterol can be much trickier to treat.
Children are least likely to have high levels of cholesterol and only need to have their levels checked once or twice before they are 18 years old. However, if the child has risk factors for higher levels of cholesterol, they should get monitored more frequently. Typically, men tend to have higher levels of cholesterol throughout life than women.
Variation of recommended levels tends to change due to other health conditions and considerations. By comparison, acceptable levels of total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol in children are different. The best recommendation for children and adolescents to keep cholesterol levels in check is living a healthful, active lifestyle. This includes eating a healthful diet and getting plenty of exercise.
Sedentary, overweight children who eat a diet high in processed foods are most likely to have high cholesterol.
Children who have a family history of high cholesterol may also be at risk. Generally, the earlier an adult starts living a healthful lifestyle, the better for their cholesterol levels.
Cholesterol levels build over time. A sudden change in lifestyle will help eventually, but the older a person is, the less impact they will see in cholesterol levels. All adults should stay active and maintain regular exercise routines. Women going through menopause and adults with high levels of cholesterol may want to consider medication that will help reduce cholesterol levels more rapidly than diet alone.
High cholesterol at any age puts a person at risk for heart disease, heart attack, and strokes. These risks only increase over time, especially for adults who are not taking action to reduce their cholesterol buildup. Children should see a doctor for cholesterol checks once or twice before the age of 18 but not during puberty.
If the child comes from a family that has a history of heart disease or is overweight or has other health conditions, the recommendation may change. Adults over the age of 20 should see a doctor every 4 to 6 years. Encourage close family members to speak to their doctor about taking a cholesterol test, and help to spread awareness amongst your friends. If you want to start lowering your cholesterol today, check out and download our Cholesterol Starter Kit. The British Nutrition Foundation has reviewed the accuracy of the scientific content of this page in May please note this does not include linked pages.
The Foundation does not endorse any brands or products. For more information about the Foundation, please visit www. What is cholesterol? What causes high cholesterol? And what can you do about it? Find out everything you should know. Do you have high cholesterol? Sign up now to get our free cholesterol lowering guide, with everything you need to take down your cholesterol in just 21 days.
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