One of the major problems with high cholesterol is that you can find out about your abnormal cholesterol levels only through a blood test. It does not have any symptom that will let you know that your cholesterol levels are above normal. You need to go for regular medical check ups if you want to keep track of your cholesterol levels and stay healthy.
Coronary Heart Disease
However, high cholesterol levels have terrible consequences. One of the most common consequences is a coronary heart disease. Chest pain, the medical term for which is Angina, is the most common symptom of coronary heart diseases. It is a very painful condition that makes the patient feel as if something is pressed on to his or her chest, making breathing difficult. The primary sign of angina is chest pain but in advanced cases, the individual might feel this pain in other parts of the body, for example, the neck or the jaw. In very rare cases, the patient might not even suffer from chest pain and have such pain in other parts of the body.     Â
Other symptoms of coronary heart disease include difficulty in breathing, nausea, sudden lightheadedness and excessive sweating. Thus, any kind of chest pain should be reported to a good doctor immediately. Avoid overlooking chest pain because in most cases, it is an indication of something as serious as coronary heart disease. It is generally advised that people suffering from coronary heart diseases do not consume very heavy meals or get hyper excited about anything because it can even be fatal. In fact, if you ever experience severe chest pain, you should immediately take rest and then go and see a doctor.    Â
Stroke
Another major problem caused by high cholesterol is arteriosclerosis. What happens here is that the artery gets clogged and blood cannot flow normally through it. in extreme cases, the blood flow stops and results in clotting of blood which results in a stroke. Stroke occurs when the blood clot makes the artery burst.    Â
The worst thing about a stroke is that it can happen anytime and without a comprehensive warning. However, research has revealed that just prior to a stroke; the patient feels dizzy and has difficulty in understanding and talking. But once you have a stroke, chances are that it will result in partial or complete paralysis or loss of functioning of a particular part of the body.   Â
Most of the heart diseases are caused by excessive levels of cholesterol. In fact, heart diseases are the cause of the maximum number of deaths in America,as in many other countries around the world. As many as 500,000 Americans die because of heart diseases every year and other huge numbers have a heart attack every year. Doctors, after much speculation and research, have discovered that high levels of cholesterol increases the chance of heart attacks or other heart problems in an individual. Â
How to have a healthy cholesterol level'Â
One of the most coveted things nowadays on the planet is a healthy cholesterol level! With more and more people falling prey to heart diseases every day, people are finally becoming more and more conscious about their cholesterol levels and are looking for ways in which they can reduce it. The lifestyle that we are used to nowadays in an urban set up does not allow us much time for leisure. This means that we have less and less time to look after ourselves. However, we must try our best to ensure that we lead a healthy life that will protect us from deadly heart diseases that claim millions of lives each year.  Â
Given below is a list of things that you can do in order to check your cholesterol levels. However, make sure that you maintain these things and keep fit, always!
Eat Healthy: A healthy diet is a must for anyone who wants to avoid deadly diseases in later life. Do not live on junk food as it is extremely harmful. Even if you do not get time out for proper meals, get packed lunch from home that is healthy and tasty and the same time. Go for fiber rich sandwiches with lettuce, meat, tomatoes and filling. Keep a check on the amount of carbohydrates that you consume. Those who are into a lot of exercise are the ones who need to have a lot of carbohydrates. But if you are not into a lot of exercise, it is best to keep a check on the amount of carbohydrates that you consume because it gets converted to fat and then, finally, cholesterol. Â
      Stay Healthy With Exercise: a great way to control your cholesterol levels is to exercise regularly. Proper exercise helps you make your heart muscles strong. This, in turn, enables better blood circulation and decreases the risks of a heart attack. In fact, if you are suffering from high cholesterol problems, exercise can help you reduce your cholesterol levels. And even for those who have not faced any problems with cholesterol till now, exercise is a great way to ensure that you do not suffer from the problems in later years.       Give up Smoking: High cholesterol levels mean that the arteries are blocked with plague. What smoke does is that it clogs the arteries further. Thus, it assists cholesterol in blocking your arteries and causing heart attacks or strokes. We all know that blockage of arteries can even be fatal, so why not give up on smoking'Â
Let Go Of Stress: Stress is another factor that can lead to an increase in your cholesterol levels. Try to remain free from tension and in case of stressful situations, resort to meditation.  Â
If you take care of the things mentioned above, you will be able to decrease your cholesterol levels if they are already on a high. If not, you can follow the things mentioned above in order to prevent a high cholesterol situation that poses serious threats to your health.  Â
High cholesterol levels are mainly caused by our bodies? inability to deal with high-fat diets. Humans exercised regularly and consumed a low-fat diet for millennia. We now have easy access to fatty and high cholesterol foods, and often our lives are sedentary. The result - 1 in 3 people in the US have high cholesterol (http://www.mitamins.com/disease/High-Cholesterol.html)- is inevitable.
High cholesterol raises your chances of getting coronary heart disease. If you lower cholesterol, you lower the overall risk for developing heart disease or having a heart attack.
If you have high cholesterol levels, cholesterol can be deposited in your coronary arteries as a plaque, where it constricts the flow of blood and contributes to coronary heart disease.
When you lower cholesterol, you can slow, stop, and reverse the buildup of plaque. When you lower cholesterol, you also reduce your risk of a heart attack. Even in people who have already suffered a heart attack, the chances of having future attacks can be substantially reduced if they lower cholesterol(http://www.mitamins.com/disease/High-Cholesterol.html).
Cholesterol is a fat-like substance, a kind of lipid packaged inside a lipoprotein that your body needs to produce certain hormones, digestive bile, and vitamin D. A large amount of brain tissue is made up of cholesterol as it insulates the nerves. You need cholesterol to live.
There are two main types of cholesterol: LDL, or low density lipoprotein (also called ?bad? cholesterol), and HDL, or high density lipoprotein (also called ?good? cholesterol). If you want to lower cholesterol, you look at the total of LDL added to HDL, but you also look at individual levels of LDL and HDL. *You want to lower LDL and total cholesterol, and raise HDL.
Often people with high cholesterol also have high triglycerides, another type of lipid. Lifestyle changes that lower cholesterol, lower triglycerides as well, and all this together improves overall health.
To discover whether you need to lower cholesterol(http://www.mitamins.com/disease/High-Cholesterol.html), you need a ?fasting lipid profile,? or cholesterol test. Ask your physician for a test if you think you may have high cholesterol.
There are 10 good ways to lower cholesterol:
1. Reduce weight if you are overweight.
2. Eat six or more meals/snacks in small portions and well-spaced throughout the day.
3. Eat monosaturated and polyunsaturated fats such as canola and olive oils, nuts and seeds.
4. Eat legumes, low- or non-fat dairy, fruits, vegetables, whole grains and other high-fiber foods.
5. Reduce saturated-fat foods such as meats, cheese, butter, baked goods, fried foods; high cholesterol foods such as butter, cheese, and meats; trans-fat foods such as processed foods with partially hydrogenated and hydrogenated oils.
6. Fast three hours before bedtime.
7. Drink lots of water.
8. Exercise daily to manage stress
9. Follow your doctor's advice regarding medication.
10. Take supplements that lower cholesterol.
Heart disease kills more men and women in the U.S. than any other disease. Over one million Americans have heart attacks annually; half a million people die from heart disease.
The 1994 study, ?Scandinavian Simvastatin Survival Study,? found that lowering cholesterol can prevent heart attacks and reduce death in men and women who already have heart disease and high cholesterol. High cholesterol is usually something we can change, and during the process of change we become healthier.
Both Tina Druv & Mitamins Team are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
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