In addition to being one of the primary risk factors for heart disease, contributing to more than 20% of total death for coronary diseases, cigarette smoking has been proven to significantly lower HDL cholesterol, damage the lining of blood vessels and increase clotting in the blood. All of which can directly result in atherosclerosis or the hardening and narrowing of the arteries, a dangerous condition that often manifests itself in heart attacks and even strokes.

The risk of having a heart disease due to smoking becomes significantly higher with people who have high cholesterol levels. HDL cholesterol levels were decreased even with people who did not smoke but were regularly exposed to smokers also referred to as passive smokers.

Researches clearly show that people who quit smoking also had their HDL cholesterol level increased within weeks from the time of quitting.

Studies have reported that adopting a healthy low cholesterol diet, an important step towards lowering cholesterol naturally, very often was highly ineffective in reducing cholesterol levels when the patients were regular smokers. Normally low cholesterol diet, which is also rich with nutrients, vitamins and lowering cholesterol foods, contributes significantly to lowering the LDL cholesterol and raising the HDL cholesterol level.

However, with many people who have high cholesterol but tend to smoke often, HDL level were reduced instead, preventing the good HDKL cholesterol from removing the bad cholesterol from the arteries thus preventing heart diseases.

In addition to lowering HDL cholesterol, tobacco smokers were found to have extremely lower levels of paparoxonase, a chemical substance that interferes with the oxidation of the bad LDL cholesterol. The prevention of LDL oxidation can directly lead to atherosclerosis, heart disease and stroke due to the accumulation of LDL in blood vessels.

Moreover, recent study that followed 113 smokers with over 260 mg/dL cholesterol levels resulted in more than 75% of the smokers having fatal heart attacks.

The study concluded that people with heart disease due to high blood cholesterol levels could become more susceptible to sudden death if they also smoke. It seems that the mix of nicotine, blood clotting and high cholesterol can lead to fatal consequences among them severe heart attacks and strokes.

Quitting smoking, even gradually, can significantly boost your HDL cholesterol levels and lower the LDL blood cholesterol. Stop smoking and step into a healthy lifestyle that includes low cholesterol diet and you’re on the right track to winning the cholesterol battle and preventing the dangers involved.