Cholesterol is something that your body produces to function smoothly. By nature, it is not a problem. The problem occurs when you ‘eat’ excess cholesterol through various food items.
What Is High Cholesterol?
Cholesterol is a waxy substance produced by the liver to protect the nerves, make certain cells and tissues, and to produce certain hormones. This cholesterol is called HDL or ‘good’ cholesterol. It can also come from nuts, fatty fishes, etc.
However, food items like eggs, meat, dairy products, etc, give us LDL or ‘bad’ cholesterol. When there is an unhealthy amount of LDL in your blood, it is called high cholesterol. It can cause many severe health conditions.
How Does High Cholesterol Threaten Your Health?
High cholesterol can settle on your arteries like plaque. Over time, this plaque can narrow the arteries restricting blood flow. This condition is called atherosclerosis. It can lead to the following health conditions initially:
- High BP
- Pain, numbness, and tingling in hands and legs due to lack of blood flow
- Chest pain
- Chronic Kidney disease
- Increased risk of gallstones
If left untreated and uncontrolled, it can lead to fatal health conditions. If blood does not reach the heart, it can cause a heart attack and if the blood supply to the brain is not sufficient, it can cause a stroke.
Who Is In Risk Of Suffering From High Cholesterol?
You will have a higher chance of generating more cholesterol under the following circumstances:
- Diabetes
- Obesity
- Serene lifestyle
- Advanced age
- Smoking
- Hereditary tendencies
Dietary choices also have a huge impact on forming your cholesterol base in your bloodstream.
What Are The Symptoms Of Having High Cholesterol?
More often than not, there are hardly any visible symptoms of cholesterol. It’s unlikely for someone to ‘feel’ that they have high cholesterol. This makes it even more dangerous. The presence of high cholesterol in your body is diagnosed only after you are already suffering from a health condition that has developed due to high cholesterol.
Hence, it is highly recommended that you take annual tests to keep a track of the cholesterol content of your blood.