subject: Some of the Symptoms of High Cholesterol [print this page] Some of the Symptoms of High Cholesterol Some of the Symptoms of High Cholesterol
Symptoms of high cholesterol tend to be rare, although indications that you have high cholesterol that might cause CHD (coronary heart disease) or other cardio-vascular problems may include leg pain when walking or running and weakness in the extremities.The greater the cholesterol content in the blood stream, the higher your risk of contracting a heart condition or stroke.
As we get older our blood cholesterol starts to rise, usually beginning in our 20s and rising far more sharply after the age of 40. Cholesterol levels in women before they enter the menopause are less than those in men of the same age. During the menopause, a woman's cholesterol level, and consequently her risk of contracting cardiovascular disease, usually rises considerably. Heart disease is sadly still the biggest cause of death for both men and women in the Western world. It is very important to find out what your cholesterol numbers are because lowering levels of cholesterol that are too high lessens the danger for developing heart disease and reduces the chance of a heart attack or dying of heart disease, even if you have already got it.
Levels of blood cholesterol in the body are often affected by family history or environmental factors. On the other hand, levels of cholesterol may additionally be influenced by the life-style you lead and the meals you eat. Any diet that features a lot of saturated fats, trans-fats and hydrogenated fats is bound to increase cholesterol.
Although we associate cholesterol in a negative sense, it is the LDL-cholesterol which is the reason for deposits left inside the arteries. This condition's medical name is atherosclerosis. In lay terms, plaques around the arterial inner walls develop reducing the diameter and hindering the passage of blood. In time, the blood vessels supplying your heart may become so narrow that they can not deliver enough oxygen to your heart muscle, particularly whenever you're exerting yourself. This condition leads to a chest pain commonly referred to as Angina. If a fatty plaque breaks off, it might cause a blood clot which can block blood flow to your heart (heart attack) or brain (stroke).. Consequently this can be very important to monitor blood cholesterol levels to avoid these situations.
Several studies have shown that stress raises blood cholesterol levels over time. Tension causes added hormones to be introduced which may cause depression, heart disease, a reduction in our bodies's immune function and have many other consequences. A number of individuals moreover console themselves by eating fatty foods whose saturated fats contribute to increased amounts of blood cholesterol.
Other conditions, such as poorly controlled diabetic issues, some kidney or liver diseases, and an underactive thyroid could also cause high cholesterol. A number of medicines, for example beta-blockers, certain steroids and diuretics can also have a negative effect on blood cholesterol levels as can smoking tobacco.
You can find a number of specially designed food products (such as, some margarines and yoghurts) which are targeted at people who want to lower their cholesterol levels. These foods contain added ingredients like substances produced by vegetation called sterols and stanols, which may help lower your blood cholesterol amounts. If you're tempted to try some of these foodstuffs, always be certain to read the label and understand the guidelines. Nursing mothers in particular ought to be especially careful, and if your blood cholesterol amount is not high you should not consume these products too often.
