While there are many factors you may not be able to change, healthy lifestyle choices can lower your chances of high cholesterol
Women have a higher chance of developing heart disease than men. According to experts, it mostly happens due to high cholesterol levels, which arise from modifiable factors like diet and activity or non-modifiable ones like age, hormones, and genetics.
While there are many factors you may not be able to change—doctors say healthy lifestyle choices can lower your chances of high cholesterol, also known as hypercholesterolaemia, which refers to a condition where there is an excess of cholesterol in the blood. Cholesterol is a waxy, fat-like substance that the body needs to build healthy cells, but high levels can lead to a buildup of plaque in arteries, increasing the risk of heart disease and stroke. A few major factors include:
Hormonal changes
Women undergo various kinds of hormonal changes throughout their lives—which leads to an increase or decrease in cholesterol—especially during perimenopause and menopause.
According to doctors, estrogen decline may be linked to higher total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein or LDL, and triglycerides. Anti-Müllerian hormone—which reflects a woman’s egg supply and helps assess fertility—also becomes imbalanced with menopause. Studies say hormonal changes cause higher cholesterol—affecting the risk of heart disease later in life.
Lifestyle
Most women lead busy and erratic lives, which causes high cholesterol. A few of these factors include:
- A diet, high in saturated and trans fat
- High levels of stress
- Physical inactivity and sedentary
- Alcohol
- Smoking
- Being overweight or having obesity
- Little or low-quality sleep
Medications
For women, specific medications can raise cholesterol levels, which include steroids, antipsychotic and anticonvulsant medications, immunosuppressants like cyclosporine and tacrolimus, arrhythmia medicines, diabetes medications, and beta-blockers. Also, diuretics and retinol-like Accutane can be the reason for your high cholesterol levels.
Genetics
While high cholesterol can be genetic and run in families, many times genetic mutations also lead to familial hypercholesterolaemia, which causes very high LDL cholesterol levels. Cholesterol tends to be higher in women with FH than in males due to delayed diagnosis as well.
How can you prevent high cholesterol?
For women, it is important to adopt a healthy lifestyle, which helps prevent high cholesterol levels. A few ways include:
Maintain a healthy weight
Since excess body fat affects cholesterol metabolism, it is important to lose weight and keep your BMI at optimal levels.
Eat a healthy diet
Healthy foods, which include soluble fibre, fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins, and omega-3 fatty acids can prevent high cholesterol levels.
Regular exercise
Exercising regularly and consistently can help prevent high cholesterol. Physical activity is essential for heart health and maintaining a healthy weight.
Get sleep
Sleeping less than six hours nightly raises cholesterol, so it is important to aim for seven to nine hours of sleep daily to help repair your heart and blood vessels.
Practice stress management
Engage in stress management techniques like meditation, journaling, yoga, or deep breathing.
How to reduce high cholesterol levels in women?
Experts say for women, a few ways you can reduce high cholesterol levels include:
- Eat oats and other high-fibre foods regularly
- Choose healthier fats like avocado
- Increase omega-3 intake by eating chia seeds, walnuts, and white fish
- Eat more beans
- Add more plant stanols and sterols to your diet
- Incorporate soy foods like tofu and edamame
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Take statin medications to lower cholesterol levels
- Exercise daily
