Having high cholesterol is no joke.
It can put you at risk for developing heart problems,
Cholesterol is a substance in your
liver that protects your nerves and produces vital cells and hormones. You can
eat both healthy and unhealthy cholesterol in various foods. Both of these
types have different effects on the body.
Good cholesterol actually removes
added cholesterol from your bloodstream. Bad cholesterol, on the other hand,
tends to build up in the bloodstream. Over time, this narrows or even blocks
your arteries. This has serious consequences for your health.
But how do you know if you have high
cholesterol? Actually, high cholesterol is a 'silent' issue. It doesn't have
obvious symptoms. But there are signs (or risk factors) that could indicate
that you are approaching high levels of cholesterol.
In this article, we will share five
signs of high cholesterol so you can spot it before it's too late.
Blood
test results
The best way (and only sure way) to
evaluate whether you have high cholesterol levels is by taking a blood test. A
blood test is designed to check for high levels of bad cholesterol, otherwise
known as low-density lipoprotein (LPD).
If the blood test indicates 160
mg/dL or higher, then your level is considered high. When there are high levels
of LPD in your bloodstream, then you are at risk of complications.
If you want to learn more about
blood tests, then read on here.
Symptoms
of Heart Disease
One of the dangers of high
cholesterol is serious heart issues. For example, bad cholesterol results in a
build-up of plaque in your bloodstream. This reduces or cuts off the blood
supply to the brain, resulting in a stroke.
Any symptoms of heart diseases may
indicate high levels of cholesterol in your body. These symptoms include (but
aren't limited to):
- Chest pain
- Extreme fatigue
- Nausea
- Acute pain in joints, neck, or
back
- Numbness or coldness
Diet
of Unhealthy Fats
When you eat unhealthy, saturated
fats regularly, this can indicate that you are at risk of high cholesterol.
These fats are found in packaged products, cookies, and sweets, or crackers and
popcorn.
Natural foods like red meat and
full-fat dairy products can also increase your cholesterol.
Unhealthy
Lifestyle
If you have an unhealthy lifestyle
in terms of movement and habit, then you also may be increasing your
cholesterol levels. Here are two examples:
Smoking puts you at high risk. This
is because smoking damages the walls of your blood vessels and increases the
risk of accumulating fats. Smoking also lowers your levels of good cholesterol.
Exercise boosts good cholesterol.
This means if you lead a relatively sedentary lifestyle, you are at higher risk
of high levels of bad cholesterol.
Obesity
and Large Waist Circumference
If you are obese or very overweight,
your chances of high cholesterol increases. It blunts the way your body reacts
to fat. It produces more bad cholesterol and decreases the levels of good
cholesterol.
Combating
Signs of High Cholesterol
If you see these signs of high
cholesterol, then it's highly recommended to take some action to combat it!
How to lower cholesterol? Firstly,
visit your doctor for a blood test and for medically-supported solutions.
Secondly, make changes in your lifestyle by eating healthier, moving more, and not smoking.
Make sure to read more of our
articles on health for the best possible version of yourself.
