High Cholesterol – What Are The Risk Factors For Me?

By: John Vanse



Even if you have high cholesterol levels you will generally continue to feel quite well. You may be quite unaware that you are at risk from heart disease as generally there are no warning signs of the lurking dangers.

Cholesterol is a fatty substance in your blood produced naturally by your body and is essential to the adequate functioning of all the cells in your body. While most of the cholesterol in your blood is produced by your liver, additional cholesterol also comes from some foods you eat, particularly those with high levels of saturated fats. The fats produced by your liver travel through your blood as particles. These particles are known as low-density lipoprotein [LDL] and high-density lipoprotein [HDL.

Of these two types of blood-borne particles, LDL is regarded as the bad cholesterol because it is likely to clog your blood vessels. HDL on the other hand, can help unclog arteries, minimizing your chances of heart disease, and hence is regarded a good cholesterol.

What does a high cholesterol level do?

The major cause of heart disease is a build up of fatty substances in the inner linings of the main arteries of your heart as a result of high levels of LDL cholesterol. This build up causes clogging of the arteries, preventing an adequate blood supply to carry oxygen to organs and tissues throughout your body.

What can I do about my cholesterol levels?

It is important to seek medical advice in order to have your LDL and HDL levels accurately assessed. Then, depending on what other risk factors you may have, you can make appropriate lifestyle changes to lower your cholesterol level.

The major factors in the development of high cholesterol levels are:

• genetic factors you may have inherited;

• a diet rich in saturated fats;

• not getting enough daily exercise.

You can do little about the first of these yourself – you cannot change this! You can however, make significant changes in your lifestyle with beneficial effects on the other two of these major factors.

Reducing the amount of saturated fat in your diet will not only bring about lowering of your LDL levels but also help you maintain a healthy weight level appropriate for your body type and your age.

Ensuring you have an adequate level of daily physical activity will have a beneficial effect not only on your cholesterol level by helping you maintain your healthy weight but will also assist you to keep your blood pressure at a normal level.

If your doctor believes that, despite your lifestyle changes, you have some adverse genetic factors, he can prescribe medication which, together with suitable diet and adequate exercise, can make significant changes to your cholesterol levels.

Summary: keeping your cholesterol in control:

• eat a healthy diet;

• try to keep your weight at an appropriate level;

• take part in some physical activity most days;

• keep your blood pressure at a normal level:

• take medication if prescribed by your doctor;

• in addition, if you are a smoker – STOP.

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