Many people can have high cholesterol, there are several factors that contribute to its existence. Some factors are hereditary, while some are purely and solely based on lifestyle. Hence, doctors often suggest food items that are healthy and for people who have a family history of cholesterol to take extra care right from the very beginning. A controlled high nutrition diet goes a long way in leading a healthy, stress-free and high cholesterol free life. Let us first understand what is high cholesterol.

What is high cholesterol?

Cholesterol is the fatty substance that is produced in the liver; it is an important element that helps in the formation of cell membranes, certain hormones and Vitamin D. It doesn’t dissolve in water and hence it cannot freely travel through the body. There are particles that are known as lipoproteins that help to transport cholesterol through the bloodstream. The two major forms of lipoproteins are low-density lipoproteins (LDL) and high-density lipoproteins (HDL). LDL is the bad cholesterol and HDL is the good cholesterol. If the bad cholesterol builds up in the arteries, then it can lead to various health problems such as stroke or heart attack. The good cholesterol helps return the LDL cholesterol to the liver for elimination.

Too much of high-fat food can cause the increase in the level of LDL cholesterol in the blood. High LDL levels or low HDL levels can make it difficult for the blood to flow through the arteries. This could eventually lead to many problems in the body. It can cause danger to the heart and brain.

Symptoms of High Cholesterol

A person cannot usually foresee high cholesterol symptoms in their body, and this, therefore, can lead to critical events. A person can get a heart attack or stroke that can occur due to high cholesterol levels. The event does not occur suddenly, over a period of years, the high accumulation of plaque in the arteries causes the emergency situation such as stroke or heart attack. The plaque changes overall arterial lining, it means having total blood cholesterol levels above 240 milligrams per deciliter mg/dL. Doctors usually cholesterol testing after one reaches 20 years of age.

The plaque buildup can put a person at serious risk of having an insufficient blood supply to the important parts of the brain. This happens when a stroke occurs. Stroke is a medical emergency, hence it is important to act fast and seek medical treatment. The symptoms are suddenly losing balance and coordination, slurring speech, blurred vision, etc.

The doctors often suggest repetitive tests for cholesterol if you have a family history of high cholesterol. The following risk factors are attached to a person having high cholesterol, high blood pressure, being overweight and smoking. The genetic factor also causes a person to have high cholesterol hence a person should take the necessary precautionary measures right from the beginning.

A healthy lifestyle can help ward off high cholesterol. Doctors suggest having regular checkups to help diagnose and treat conditions as early as possible.

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