Prevention of high cholesterol

Every person knows about high cholesterol and the dangers it brings. A person who has too much cholesterol will experience it building it up in the arteries. When that happens, a person will suffer from hardening of the arteries. This does not happen all of a sudden and it usually builds up gradually, especially when people grow older. The blood will not be able to travel normally to the heart and other tissues if the arteries are hardened. This is why most people experience heart attacks and strokes. In order to avoid this, a person can measure his or her cholesterol level with a simple blood test. A person whose cholesterol is less than 200 is in good shape but a person with cholesterol higher than 240 is considered to be suffering from high cholesterol. People should also know that there are two types of cholesterol, the good one and the bad one. HDL is considered to be the good cholesterol and LDL is bad cholesterol.

Symptoms of high cholesterol

In most cases a person will not be aware that he or she suffers from high cholesterol because he or she will feel fine. Most people find out about it when their arteries are already clogged. Starting a treatment as early as possible is important. Causes of high cholesterol

One of the main causes of high cholesterol is the food that people consume. Saturated and trans fats are bound to increase the cholesterol level. Cholesterol and saturated fats are found in foods that are of animal origins like meat, eggs, milk, butter and cheese. Most packaged foods like snack foods and cookies contain trans fats. A person who is overweight, inactive, old and has a family history of high cholesterol has a greater chance of suffering from this disorder.

Treatment for high cholesterol

It is important that people with high cholesterol change certain things in their life. There are various treatments for high cholesterol but medicines and lifestyle changes are considered to be the two best treatments. People need to consume healthier food in order to lower the cholesterol level. Losing weight is also important and that is why people should exercise regularly. People who smoke need to stop doing so in order to lower the cholesterol level. Before starting any treatment people should consult a doctor first.

Prevention

The best way a person can prevent high cholesterol is by following a healthy diet, exercising regularly, taking care of his or her weight and not smoking.