Cholesterol is a waxy, fat-like substance found in all cells of the body, as it is needed to make hormones, vitamin D, and substances that help digest food, according to Medline Plus, from the National Library of Medicine. United States Medicine.
In addition, Mayo Clinic, a nonprofit organization dedicated to clinical practice, education and research, explained that with high cholesterol, fatty deposits can form in the blood vessels and over time these grow and make it more difficult for enough blood to flow through the arteries. Sometimes, those deposits can suddenly rupture and form a clot that causes a heart attack or stroke.
- Heart attack. If platelets tear or break, a blood clot can form at the site of the break; this clot can block blood flow or break loose and plug an artery. If blood flow to part of the heart is cut off, you will have a heart attack.
- Cerebrovascular accident. Similar to a heart attack, a stroke occurs when blood flow to part of the brain is blocked by a blood clot.
The entity also indicated on its website that this disease can be inherited or be the result of an unhealthy lifestyle, such as eating many harmful fats. Saturated fat is found in some meats, dairy products, chocolate, baked goods, and processed and fried foods.
Other causes of high cholesterol are sedentary lifestyle, lack of exercise, smoking, obesity, age and diabetes. However, high cholesterol level has no symptoms and the only way to detect it is through a blood test.
Having said that, it is important to note that there are usually no signs or symptoms of high cholesterol and the only way to know is with a blood test and if the test results show that you have high cholesterol to Lowering it can make heart-healthy lifestyle changes. These include:
1. Eat heart-healthy foods: reduce saturated fats, eliminate trans fats, eat foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids, increase soluble fiber, add whey protein.
2. Exercise: New World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines recommend at least 150 to 300 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous intensity aerobic physical activity per week for all adults, including people living with chronic conditions or disabilities, and an average of 60 minutes a day for children and adolescents.
3. Quit smoking: Within 20 minutes of quitting, blood pressure and heart rate recover from the cigarette-induced peak. Within three months of quitting, blood circulation and lung function begin to improve, and within a year of quitting, the risk of heart disease is half that of a smoker.
4. Lose weight: The Ministry of Health explains on its website that there are some reliable methods to know if a person is at a healthy weight. One is the determination of the body mass index (BMI), which describes the relationship between weight and height. Therefore, it revealed that to calculate the BMI, it is necessary to know the weight and height, and a simple mathematical formula is applied that consists of dividing the weight by the height squared: BMI = Weight (kg) / Height squared (Mt) .
5. Drink alcohol in moderation: For healthy adults, this means up to one drink a day for women of all ages and men over 65, and up to two drinks a day for men under 65.
However, if these lifestyle changes are not enough, you may also need to take medication.
