When people think of getting high cholesterol they usually automatically think of cholesterol levels in foods. The problem with this thinking is that it is not the cholesterol levels food so much as it is the high saturated fats that prompt your liver to create an excess of harmful (LDL) cholesterol. This means that you really cannot go by cholesterol levels ratio in food, you must pay attention to fat content. Dairy, butter, mayonnaise, nuts and things of this nature can cause you to develop high cholesterol if you eat them too often or in too large a quantity. This does not mean that you need to totally avoid eating any foods that contain fat or saturated fats but you certainly should control your intake. You have heard it said that too much of a good thing can be a bad thing. This is most definitely the case when it comes to eating too many fatty foods. You should treat yourself once in awhile but if you are to avoid having high cholesterol you should try and limit yourself.
Sometimes when women go through menopause their cholesterol levels go up. The reason for this may be because of the change in metabolic rate that occurs when women go through their “change in life”. Whatever the case may be it is important that any woman going through menopause or even pre-menopause start getting her cholesterol levels checked. Most of the time physicians will include this in the physical that is done during this time. If the levels come back borderline high or high then the doctor will start specific treatments. This could be a special diet or even some kind of cholesterol lowering drug. In addition, your doctor may ask that you begin some kind of exercise program to help keep your circulation going and keep the extra pounds off.
While having high cholesterol is not a good thing by any stretch, it is not the most serious of medical conditions in terms of how easily it can be treated. It is quite easy to lower high cholesterol with a little bit of diligence and will power. Any condition that causes you to have to make lifestyle changes can be discouraging but the hard work does eventually pay off. If your cholesterol is high it is up to you to do everything your doctor tells you in order to bring the levels back to normal and realize a healthier life.