High Cholesterol, Cause and Symptoms of Cholesterol

What is High Cholesterol?

Cholesterol is a type of fat which is called lipid which human body needs to work properly. Cholesterol is naturally present in the cells of the body including brain, nerves, muscles, intestine, skin, liver and heart.The body use cholesterol to produce vitamin D, hormones and bile acids that help to digest the fat. our body makes all the cholesterol it needs. However, cholesterol also is found in certain foods e.g. egg yolk, lamb kidney, clarified butter, lobster, and cheese cream. Cholesterol is traveled in human body through blood stream in form of small packages called Lipoproteins. These packages made of fat (lipid) on the inside and protein on the outside.

Causes of High Cholesterol:

There are many factors which determine the high cholesterol level in your body. You can control some factors but not others.

• Age - cholesterol levels in the body increase with age. Normally cholesterol starts to rise after the age of 20.
• Food you eat - Cholesterol is found in food that come from animal sources e.g. meat, egg yolk and dairy products. Taking diet of high saturated fat increased the level of cholesterol in blood.
• Physical activity - Lack of physical activity which may increase LDL and decrease HDL and it increase the total level of cholesterol.
• Overweight - Being overweight may increase the LDL (bad) and lower the HDL (good).
• Family History- High cholesterol is an inherited genetic condition, which is called Familial hypercholesterolemia. This condition may increase the chance of heart disease at early age.
• Alcohol consumption - Drinking too much alcohol may damage the liver and heart muscles and lead to high blood pressure and increase the cholesterol levels. Because of the risks alcohol beverages should not be used to avoid the heart disease.
• Mental Stress - Mental stress may also increase the cholesterol level. Stress may do this from disturbing your habits, for example, when some people are under stress, they console themselves by eating more fatty foods.
• Health Condition - Some health conditions can also lead to abnormal cholesterol, few of them are:

• Diabetes
• Kidney disease
• Poly-cystic ovary syndrome
• Pregnancy and some other conditions which may increase levels of female hormones.
• Under-active thyroid gland.

Symptoms of Cholesterol:

High cholesterol has no symptoms and only a blood test is the way to detect high cholesterol.
If you are 20 or older, you should have to blood cholesterol level measured at least once every 5 years.

How to Prevent High Cholesterol?

• Adoption of a healthy lifestyle changes, including aerobic exercise and a low-fat diet should reduce the prevalence of obesity and high cholesterol.
• Knowing your cholesterol number level is the first step in controlling your cholesterol.
• Reduce your extra weight and maintain a healthy life.
• Quit smoking.
• Eat a low-fat and low-salt diet that includes many fruits, vegetables and whole grains.
• Exercise at least four days of the week for 30 minutes.
• Some people may not be able to prevent high cholesterol with lifestyle changes because family history and certain conditions that cause the body to make too much cholesterol. In these cases, medicine can help.
• In your daily meals include a variety of whole grains, fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds.
• Improve your level of physical activity. 

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