Cholesterol is a natural fat that is essential for the construction of cells in our body and the production of important hormones such as vitamin D, estrogen and testosterone. Our liver produces 80 percent of the cholesterol needed by the body. But when the level of cholesterol in the blood rises beyond the limit, it accumulates on the walls of blood vessels (Plaque), obstructs blood flow and leads to heart attack and stroke. Here are the 5 main scientific reasons behind high cholesterol:
Trans Fat and Processed Foods (Bad Dietary Fats): The main scientific reason for high cholesterol is the diet we eat. Fried foods, bakery items, biscuits and fast food that are repeatedly heated in oil contain deadly Trans Fats. This greatly increases the bad cholesterol (LDL) in the blood and severely reduces the good cholesterol (HDL). This is due to the saturated fat contained in pork, beef, and spicy meat dishes.
Physical inactivity and lack of exercise (Sedentary Lifestyle): Cholesterol is more likely to increase in people who work for many hours and do not exercise at all. Only when we work physically does the body take bad cholesterol back to the liver and burn it. When exercise decreases, this process slows down and fat accumulates in the blood.
Familial Hypercholesterolemia: Cholesterol is often found in people who follow a very specific diet and exercise. The reason for this is hereditary. This is a genetic condition in which the liver is unable to properly absorb and purify the bad cholesterol in the blood. This is scientifically called familial hypercholesterolemia.
Smoking & Alcohol: When you smoke, the chemicals in tobacco roughen the inner walls of your blood vessels. This makes it easier for fat to stick to your blood vessels. Smoking also reduces the levels of good cholesterol (HDL). Excessive alcohol consumption affects the metabolism of the liver and increases the levels of dangerous fats called triglycerides in the blood.
Hypothyroidism & Diabetes: In a state of low thyroid hormone (Hypothyroidism), the body’s metabolism slows down completely. This affects the digestion of cholesterol in the liver and increases the levels of bad fats in the blood. Along with this, metabolic diseases like diabetes, obesity, and PCOS also cause cholesterol to increase.
