High Cholesterol is a very common diagnosis by doctors nowadays when dealing with patients. Cholesterol has been identified as to increase the risk of heart diseases. But what is Cholesterol at all?

Cholesterol is a substance produced by the human liver. The body produces Cholesterol to build up acids that help with the digestion of fat that we eat with our meals. Cholesterol is also supposed to build and repair cell. It is also part of the process to produce estrogens and the testosterone hormone. Most people affected by high Cholesterol have never heard of what Cholesterol is and what it does.

Cholesterol plays an important role for the human body. So, how can this substance turn itself into something that puts your health at danger? As with almost everything in life Cholesterol only does a good job when available in certain limits. If these limits get pushed high up (= high Cholesterol) it turns itself into something putting your health at risk. High Cholesterol has been proven to clog up arteries which again can lead to stroke and heart attack. Statistics show that about 500,000 of the US population die through heart disease related incidents. Once diagnosed with high Cholesterol and taking appropriate action the risk of heart attack can be reduced by up to 40%.

Cholesterol Symptoms

For most patients it is surprising to learn that there are no external visible symptoms to diagnose a high level of Cholesterol. A blood test is needed to identify high Cholesterol appropriately. However, if diagnosed with certain medical conditions it could be a sign of high Cholesterol. Those medical conditions include (but are not limited to) coronary disease, vascular disease or stroke.

How to lower high Cholesterol?

If a blood test shows that your cholesterol levels are too high, your doctor will recommend immediate action. Depending on the severity of the problem this can be a special diet combined with physical exercise or the use of medication. Overall the patient should start using a low Cholesterol diet and plan doing this for the long term. A low Cholesterol diet is based on food which is low in saturated fat. Food groups recommended to be used on a low Cholesterol diet include (but are not limited to) skinless poultry, lean meat, certain fish, fruits, vegetables, whole grain foods and low fat dairy products.

Meals should be prepared by steaming, grilling, boiling or baking. Fried food items are to be avoided.

Blood tests to get the Cholesterol values are supposed to be done every 3 years for healthy people. Patients diagnosed with high Cholesterol will have to expect more frequent blood testing to verify success of medication and diet.