The medical history of your family is going to have some direct effect on your personal medical health. This is a contributing factor to the levels of cholesterol that your body is producing daily in your life. Every person is going to have some amount of cholesterol found in their blood. You need cholesterol in your blood to keep your body functioning as it should and for good health. If your levels of cholesterol are too high, it can also lead to additional medical problems. Your doctor will perform a cholesterol blood test to determine if you have high cholesterol or if you are at risk for future high cholesterol problems.
The foods you eat are going to contribute to your high cholesterol levels. If you are eating on the run, eating foods without looking at the cholesterol and the fat levels in the foods you are eating you need to take a step back and practice reading what is on the labels of the boxes, the bags and the foods that you are eating. Every thing you eat, and everything you aquire should have a label, telling you how much fat, and how much cholesterol is in the foods you love the most. Look for cholesterol free and fat free as a good start on your new cholesterol changing diet.
Women have an additional factor to overcome when it comes to cholesterol levels being too high. As women tend to age, and menopause sets in, the total cholesterol levels are going to be higher. Men in general do have lower overall cholesterol created by their bodies, and women should realize that a good diet high in fiber and lower in cholesterol is going to be better for them in the long run.
Smoking is another cause that will bring about higher cholesterol levels. If you are smoking and your family has a history of high cholesterol you should be concerned enough to stop smoking and to have your cholesterol levels checked before it gets to be too late and you must take medications. You can start controlling your high cholesterol levels by eating right and getting added exercise early on in life when it does matter most.
If high blood pressure runs in your family, you should also be aware that high blood pressure does seem to have an effect on cholesterol levels. Because cholesterol is in your blood, and high blood pressure has to deal with your blood the two seemingly are connected but this is not proven or tested. If you have your blood pressure checked by your doctor, take that extra minute and have your cholesterol checked just to be on the safe side.
Not everybody who has heart problems or high blood pressure is going to find that they also have high cholesterol but it is consistently a good thing to check your history and have your doctor check you out.