Cholesterol is a chemical compound which is created naturally by the our body and is normally a combination of lipid (fat) and steroid, a waxy substance found in all cells on the body to protect nerves, make cell tissues and produce certain hormones. If taken largely, it puts you at threat for heart disease, the leading cause of death in the United States. It is carried within the bloodstream as lipoproteins, a kind of lipid, discovered in foods from animal sources. It can build up inside the blood vessels of your heart.

View full post on Health-and-Fitness Articles from EzineArticles.com

Being overweight is not good in any way. It’s not only bad for your outlook but your health is also at stake due to it. You don’t like your beer belly for sure, because it’s just bad for you social life.

You might not know that being overweight can increase triglycerides and decrease HDL. Or in other words it may increase the bad cholesterol and decrease good cholesterol in your body. So, control your weight to avoid many of other complexities.

You need energy to start your day, and so you must have to have a healthy breakfast. Everyone’s choice differ in breakfast, but mostly people opt for a traditional breakfast. You must know that having too much saturated fat in your breakfast can cause high cholesterol.

The unhealthy fat in foods like Beef, pork, veal, milk, eggs, butter, and cheese should not be exceeded at any cost. Other than this, the packaged foods like coconut oil, palm oil, or cocoa butter may also have a lot of saturated fat, so avoid excessive usage of these too. You may also find saturated fat in stick margarine, vegetable shortening, and most cookies, crackers, chips, and other snacks. Minimize the use of these traditional breakfast items and replace them with healthy foods to lessen the cholesterol levels.

Cholesterol is a waxy, fat-like substance that is made in the body by the liver. Cholesterol is a fatty substance found in the blood. A certain amount is essential for normal body function. Cholesterol and another lipid, triglyceride, are important building blocks in the structure of cells and are also used in making hormones and producing energy. High blood cholesterol is a risk factor for heart disease.

Cholesterol levels start to increase in middle-aged men, in women just before menopause, and in people who have gained weight. Cholesterol levels and the starting point of lowering cholesterol among men and women are quite different. Men are considered to have low HDL cholesterol at less than 40 mg/dL; women have low HDL cholesterol at less than 50 mg/dL. Both men and women are advised to strive for HDL levels above 60 mg/dL.

A variety of things which can affect cholesterol levels in men and women are following:

• Smoking: If you have high cholesterol, smoking can be a leading contributor.  Smoking cigarettes increases the body’s cholesterol level which leads to heart disease and stroke because the carcinogens in the cigarettes contribute to various heart problems.
• Food: Saturated fat and cholesterol in the food you eat make your blood cholesterol level go up. Reducing the amount of saturated fat and cholesterol in your diet helps lower your blood cholesterol level.
• Age: As women and men get older, their cholesterol levels rise. Cholesterol level tend to rise in Men at the age of 45 years or older and in women 55 years or older.
• Hereditary: Your genes partly determine how much cholesterol your body makes. High blood cholesterol can run in families.
• Overweight: Overweight is a risk factor for heart disease. It also tends to increase your cholesterol.