Lowering Cholesterol Naturally

Posts Tagged ‘lowering LDL cholesterol’

Do you know what high cholesterol symptoms are?  If there are warning signs in your body to let you know that there might be a problem?  And if so, what are the symptoms of high cholesterol levels?

Here is information you need to know; warning signs that something might be very wrong.  And you do need to get to a doctor pronto if they show up.

Cholesterol Levels and Heart Disease

You’ve probably heard again and again how high cholesterol levels and heart disease are linked.  And that symptoms of heart disease also signal that it’s time to get your blood cholesterol readings done – now!  But before we go over high cholesterol symptoms, let’s do a quick overview on what cholesterol is and isn’t.

First, your body needs cholesterol, and in fact, if you don’t have enough, you will die!  It’s because this substance helps to build cell membranes, as well as maintain them.  Another way cholesterol works in your body is to aid in manufacturing bile salts and vitamin D (both of which are also necessary for life).

On the flip side, too much of a good thing is tough on your body.  Cholesterol is a gooey substance, and it’s transported by your blood stream.  If there is too much in your blood, it can start irritating your arterial walls.  When that happens, it can stick to the walls, and then more cholesterol can stick to it.

You probably see where this is going; once there is a build-up that can’t be “washed away” fast enough, it can clog your arteries.  If blood can’t get through and that artery is on your heart – that spells a heart attack.

High Cholesterol Symptoms

Remember I said that there aren’t really any high cholesterol symptoms, per se?  However, there are symptoms of impending heart problems that can signal you have a problem with too much cholesterol in your blood.  Here are some things to look for, which can spell high risk.

• Are you sedentary?  When you do even mild activities does your heart race, or do you get out of breath quickly?
• Do you have a family history of heart disease, high cholesterol and/or high triglycerides?
• Do you smoke?  Yes, this is a risk factor for high cholesterol, so it’s just another reason to quit.
• Do you have a chronic condition like diabetes or thyroid problems?  These put you at risk for elevated blood cholesterol levels.
• Do you eat a lot of foods high in cholesterol?  The worst offenders are trans fats and saturated fats, but there are others (click the link to find out).

It’s unfortunate that there aren’t any direct symptoms of high cholesterol, but if you look at the above risk factors and recognize one or more of them, it’s time to get your blood levels taken.

Cholesterol Readings

One thing more, quickly. When it comes to cholesterol readings, there are two types of cholesterol – HDL and LDL, and they are quite different.

HDL is short for high-density lipoprotein, and is usually called “good cholesterol”.  LDL is the abbreviation for low-density lipoprotein, and is often called “bad cholesterol”.  One way to remember which is good and which is bad is that you want LDL to be low in the blood, and HDL should be higher in the bloodstream.

LDL fills a need in the body, but it is more likely to irritate your arteries.  HDL, however, helps to whisk LDL out of your body.

This means that you don’t just want an overall reading; you need to know if the balance of LDL to HDL is out of kilter — too much LDL can spell trouble, even if your total score is in the normal range.  Meanwhile, here’s more information on blood cholesterol levels, as well as lowering LDL cholesterol.

So now you know; there are no real high cholesterol symptoms, only symptoms of heart disease and risk factors that point to high cholesterol levels.  It’s one more reason to have your levels checked at least once a year, just to be safe.