High Cholesterol Q & A

What is cholesterol?

Cholesterol is fat your body makes to help with digestion and the creation of hormones and vitamin D. Some cholesterol is therefore vital for your health, but as your liver makes all the cholesterol you require, you don’t need any in your diet.

Most people do get extra cholesterol from what they eat, and often far too much. The key issue with cholesterol is that there are several types, and while some are good for you, others are potentially harmful.

What are good and bad cholesterols?

The good cholesterol that your body needs for proper functioning is high-density lipoprotein (HDL). HDL also gathers up bad cholesterol and takes it to your liver for processing.

The two bad cholesterols are low-density lipoprotein (LDL) and very-low-density lipoprotein (VLDL). These are the cholesterols that cause a build-up of plaque in your arteries, which leads to heart and circulation diseases.

Foods that contain high levels of LDL and VLDL include:

• Animal fats
• Dairy
• Fried foods
• Processed foods

If you eat a lot of these foods, there’s a good chance your cholesterol levels are too high. Smoking also increases bad cholesterol levels. If you don’t get enough exercise, that makes the problem worse, because lack of exercise reduces levels of HDL, the good cholesterol.

Why do I need to reduce my cholesterol levels?

If your cholesterol levels are high, the plaque buildup in your arteries makes these major blood vessels narrower, reducing the flow of blood around your body. Reduced blood flow can cause serious and potentially life-threatening conditions like:

• Angina
• Carotid artery disease
• Heart attack
• Peripheral arterial disease
• Stroke

One of the dangers of high cholesterol is that until it reaches a critical level, you won’t experience any symptoms. The only way to know you have high cholesterol before reaching a crisis point is to have a blood test at Sunstate Medical Associates.

How is high cholesterol treated?

If your blood test results show you have high cholesterol, then making changes to your lifestyle is essential. Cut out fatty foods, especially those that have saturated and trans fats. Eat healthier meals, start exercising regularly, and lose weight if you can stand to shed some pounds.

The Sunstate Medical Associates team can help you with all these changes. They support you and provide the best information to help you improve your health and reduce cholesterol. You might also need to take medication, at least for a while, to help lower your cholesterol.

Find out how healthy your arteries are by having a cholesterol test at Sunstate Medical Associates, or schedule a consultation if you’re worried about your heart health. Call the office today and speak with a friendly team member or book an appointment online.