High cholesterol is a deadly disease that is sweeping through the United States in epic proportions. High cholesterol is defined as having total blood cholesterol levels of 240 or above or LDL (low density lipoprotein) cholesterol levels of 160 or more. Excess cholesterol in the blood can lead to:
Angina: Chest pain.
Atherosclerosis: The narrowing and hardening of the arteries due to a build-up of plaque on the artery walls. This build-up of plaque slows the flow of blood and if the artery becomes completely blocked, it will stop the flow of blood causing a heart attack or stroke.
Heart Attack: Lack of blood and oxygen to the heart causing it to stop beating.
Stroke: Lack of blood supply to the brain or when a blood vessel in the brain bursts.
High blood pressure: Blood pressure reading more than 140/90 is considered high. This means the pressure within the blood vessels is too high. If left untreated or uncontrolled, this can lead to heart attack and kidney failure.
Transient ischemic attack: A mini-stroke that can occur when the blood supply to the brain is interrupted.
Coronary heart disease: The narrowing of the small blood vessels that supply blood and oxygen to the heart.
Peripheral artery disease: Build-up of plaque in the arteries that supply blood to the head, limbs and organs.
As you can see, high cholesterol can lead to devastating heath issues. These health issues are not only frightening, but they are deadly.
There are steps we can take towards preventing high cholesterol or lowering already elevated cholesterol levels. Knowing your risk factors is important because risk factors help to determine how vulnerable you may be to developing high cholesterol.
All the cholesterol we need to maintain good health is naturally provided in the liver. So we don't need to consume high levels of cholesterol containing foods. The first step in fighting this disease should be to eliminate foods high in cholesterol and saturated fats. Those types of foods provide no nutritional value to your diet and they raise your risk of disease.
Your genetic make-up also plays a major role in determining how quickly your body makes LDL and how quickly it is removed from the blood. Familial hypercholesterolemia is an inherited form of high cholesterol that affects 1 in 500 people.
Heredity plays a role in influencing LDL levels even if you don't have a specific genetic form of high cholesterol.
Age is another factor to consider. Women usually have cholesterol levels lower than men of the same age until menopause. As we age, blood cholesterol levels rise until the ages of 60-65. But around the age of 50, the number of women with high cholesterol begins to overtake the number of men at of the same age with high cholesterol.
Alcohol is another risk factor to consider. Studies have shown that minimal amounts of alcohol can help increase HDL (high density lipoprotein) cholesterol levels, but alcohol has no effect on LDL levels. Alcohol abuse can damage the liver and the heart muscle which can lead to a host of other health issues.
Maintaining a healthy weight is another way to combat this disease. Often if we are carrying excess weight, we most likely eat a diet high in saturated fats and simple sugars. As was discussed earlier foods high in cholesterol and saturated fats should be eliminated from your diet. Eliminating these types of foods will help to lower you total calorie intake which will aid in weight loss.
Exercise is another heart healthy way to help burn up extra calories, relieve stress and raise HDL levels! You don't have to go crazy with two hours of exercise every day, but just get out there and get started. Just walk, clean up the house, play with the kids or pets, just start moving for about 30 minutes a day.
Most importantly, listen to your doctor. If you suffer from high cholesterol, your physician will most likely lay down the law in regard to what steps you should take to get those numbers down. Also, stay consistent. So often, high cholesterol patients will take the steps necessary to lower their cholesterol into a healthier range, and then feeling better, they abandon all the healthy choices the made to get their levels down and go back to the poor habits that raised their cholesterol in the first place. Don't make this mistake. Maintaining a healthy lifestyle will not only improve your health, but it will also give you more energy and time you get to spend enjoying life with your loved ones.
Good health to you!
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