What is high cholesterol is a question more and more people are asking these days. The really scary thing about cholesterol levels which fall out of the healthy range is that you may not even know you have a problem. What I mean by that is sometimes the first signs of a cholesterol problem are so subtle you may not even notice them at all, or simply write them off as being tired or part of the natural aging process. Don't fall into this trap!
Nevertheless, often times the accumulation of arterial plaque caused by high cholesterol does produce some telltale signs that can be recognized in time to reverse the condition, thus reducing your chances of a major health disaster such as a heart attack or stroke.
If you start to notice any of these symptoms you should immediately visit your doctor for a lipid profile to determine the cause.
*Do you sweat more than you used to when doing minor physical activity.
*Do you notice your breathing being labored even during the night when you are trying to relax.
*Is it difficult to conduct any type of physical activity without experiencing shortness of breath.
*Is your face becoming fatty or chubby.
*Do you experience chest pain or unexplained pain in your arms or legs.
*Do any of your extremities feel cold to the touch or tingle for no apparent reason.
*Are you experiencing erectile dysfunction. Yes, arterial clogging high cholesterol can affect that area as well!
The seven examples above are just a few warning signs that cholesterol induced plaque could be building up in the arteries causing the arteries to become smaller. This in turn reduces the blood flow to the major organs including the heart, the brain, as well as extremities such as the fingers or toes.
But What Is High Cholesterol By The Numbers.
Blood cholesterol is measured in four major categories. They are total cholesterol, LDL or bad cholesterol, HDL or good cholesterol, and triglycerides. Total cholesterol over 240 mg/dl is considered high risk with levels below 200 or so considered desirable; LDL readings over 160 are considered dangerously high with LDL of 100 or so being optimal; HDL blood lipid reading of below 40 are dangerously low with 60 or above considered to be optimal; Triglyceride levels over 200 are considered high with 150 or less considered optimal.
There are many ways to interpret exactly what is high cholesterol but the guidelines above are generally accepted standards according to the American Medical Association.
Now that we have answered the question of what is high cholesterol the next logical step is to determine what can be done about it.
This is a determination best left up to your doctor after running a few simple tests. On the other hand you may be one of the millions of people worldwide who either don't have a doctor, or the cost is more than you can currently afford. If this is the case you will have some very good options in the area of self help solutions. First, reduce the amount of saturated fat in your diet to less than 10 percent of calories; second, consider implementing a gentle exercise program three times a week, if you are physically able; third; consider adding baked fish to your diet two or three times a week; and lastly consider adding an affordable omega3-health-benefits.com natural cholesterol reducing remedy as a way to improve your overall results. While these are good time tested suggestions that will likely show results, they are just that, suggestions, and there is no substitute for a sound medical opinion from a trained professional.
Rob D. Hawkins is an enthusiastic advocate for the use of safe and effective high quality alternative health products and natural living, with over 10 years experience in the field. Learn more about natural remedies and natural health at purchaseremedies.com Purchase Remedies.com
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