Friday, December 18, 2009

Cholesterol: Risk Factors

The cholesterol is a waxy substance your body uses to protect nerves and make cell tissues. Most cholesterol is produced by our liver. The rest comes from certain foods such as dairy products, eggs and meat. The body needs some cholesterol to function properly. However, too much increases the risk of developing heart disease. There are several factors contributing to raise cholesterol. Some are controllable, while others are not.
Among the factors of risk is not controllable your sex. After menopause, women increases their cholesterol "bad" and therefore their risk of heart disease. Also influenced by age. The risk increases as people age. Men over age 45 and women over 55 have a risk of having higher cholesterol high.
Family history also plays a role. Your risk will increase if your father or brother has been affected by heart disease at an early age (before 55) or your mother or sister has been affected by heart disease at an early age (before 65).
Among the factors to risk a major controllable via diet. Remember that saturated fats from the foods you eat increase your total cholesterol "bad." Being overweight is another source of risk. Rise may cause your cholesterol "bad" and decrease "good". Finally, physical activity is one of the best ways to reduce cholesterol "bad" and to increase cholesterol "good". In addition, it also helps you lose weight.