High Cholesterol - Facts You Need to Know
Approximately 107 million Americans have a moderately high level of cholesterol, a level which begins a risk for heart disease. Learn the facts and what steps you can take to control your cholesterol.
You’ve only got one heart, if it stops beating you no longer live. Protecting your heart could be the single best thing you can do for your body. Every year approximately one half million people die from heart disease and more than a million people suffer heart attacks in America alone. High levels of cholesterol in the blood is a major risk factor for heart disease and heart attacks.
How can high levels of cholesterol cause heart disease leading to a heart attack? According to the American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, the definition of cholesterol is a white crystalline substance, found in animal tissues and various foods, that is normally synthesized by the liver and is important as a constituent of cell membranes and a precursor to steroid hormones. Its level in the bloodstream can influence the pathogenesis of certain conditions, such as the development of atherosclerotic plaque and coronary artery disease. To put it in more simple terms, cholesterol is a soft fatty substance found in the blood and cells that is necessary for normal bodily functions. However, too much cholesterol in the blood causes a build up of a hard substance called plaque that narrows the walls of the arteries. If a blockage occurs in an artery carrying blood to the heart, the blockage can cause a heart attack. If a blockage occurs in an artery carrying blood to the brain, a stroke could occur.
If you have high cholesterol, you may not exhibit any symptoms. For this reason it is very important to have your cholesterol checked on a regular basis. Because high cholesterol is treatable, it is important to learn what your cholesterol levels are and what the numbers mean. It is a simple blood test that your doctor can perform. It should also be noted that anyone can have high cholesterol; young, old, persons at risk for heart disease and those without risk.
There are some risk factors for high cholesterol that cannot be controlled. These are age, gender, and family history.
Age: Men 45 years of age and older and women 55 years of age and older are at risk for high cholesterol.
Gender: A women’s LDL cholesterol level (this is the bad cholesterol) goes up after reaching menopause along with her risk of heart disease.
Family History: If your father or brother was affected by heart disease before the age of 55 you are at risk. If your mother or sister was affected by heart disease before the age of 65 you also are at increased risk.
There are also a number of other factors that could put you at high risk: Having high blood pressure, a low HDL cholesterol level, smoking cigarettes, a family history of early heart disease, and men who are over the age of 45 and women over the age of 55.
What can be done about high cholesterol or maintaining a healthy level of cholesterol?
Weight: Being overweight is a major risk factor for heart disease. Losing weight is an effective way to lower “bad” cholesterol and raise “good” cholesterol.
Diet: Reducing the amount of saturated fat and cholesterol consumed from foods will help lower blood cholesterol levels. Learn how to read the food labels of foods you are consuming. Aim for low cholesterol amounts in food but it is also important to avoid foods that have high saturated fat amounts.
Physical Activity and/or Exercise: Being physically active and exercising regularly will help lower “bad” cholesterol and raise “good” cholesterol. It will also help you to lose weight. Strive to do some sort of physical activity in a 30 minute duration almost, if not, every day.
While high cholesterol for many seems to be a way of life there are many things you can do to control it and prevent it from reaching unsafe levels. It is important to know what’s going on inside your body and in this way you can better take control of it. Education is very important. Get your blood tested, find out if you’re at risk, and take the necessary steps to keep your cholesterol in check.