High Cholesterol
High cholesterol affects your heart and blood vessels and increases your risk of developing cardiovascular disease (CVD). High cholesterol also causes fatty deposits to build up inside your blood vessels.
In time, the blood vessels supplying your heart may become so narrow that they can't deliver enough oxygen to the heart muscle, particularly when you're exerting yourself. This can cause you to feel chest pain (angina), and if a fatty plaque breaks off, it may cause a blood clot which can block blood flow to your heart (heart attack) or brain (stroke).
High cholesterol level may only be revealed if you develop symptoms of heart disease. Sometimes, yellow patches may develop around your eyes or elsewhere on your skin, indicating deposits of cholesterol.
Measuring cholesterol. involves a blood test. Usually you will be asked not to eat for 12 hours before the test so that your food is completely digested and doesn't affect the test.
Healthy eating can reduce cholesterol. Your diet should be low in saturated fats in particular, and low in fat overall. Biscuits, cakes, pastries, red meat, hard cheese and butter tend to be high in saturated fats, so cut down on these foods!.
You may also prevent high cholesterol. by maintaining a healthy weight, eating a healthy diet, stopping smoking, not drinking excessive amounts of alcohol and taking regular exercise. However, if your family has a history of high cholesterol., it may be difficult to prevent yourself from having it too.
