High cholesterol can lead to cardiac and circulatory problems, and you want to be able to identify it and treat it as soon as possible. In order to do that, you will need to know what the signs of high cholesterol are and how you can fight this medical problem.
What to Look for
There are numerous potential signs for high cholesterol, but the most common is chest pain. This is not a symptom, however, but a complication. You will not have any symptoms associated with this medical issue, and there is no way to be sure that you have it until you are tested for it, but you can definitely look for signs of complications and a worsening condition that is usually indicative of prolonged or very high cholesterol.
Chest pain is usually indicative of a more serious problem, such as a stroke or heart attack. In fact, chest pain could mean that you are having a heart attack and not even realizing it. Not all heart attacks are severe, but even small ones can indicate that you are suffering from high cholesterol. If it is not treated, it can worsen and create more severe strains on your heart, ending in death.
These warning signs are caused by blockages in your blood vessels, which large amounts of cholesterol can create. You can catch this problem early, however, before the stroke and heart attacks kick in if you have regular testing done on your cholesterol levels.
How to Treat It
If you suspect you have high cholesterol, you should see a doctor as soon as possible. Your doctor may recommend medicine for you as well as lifestyle changes. You can make those lifestyle changes yourself before ever seeing a doctor if you want to prevent high cholesterol or treat it once it starts to affect you.
Proper dieting is one of the best ways to fight high cholesterol. By eating foods that are low in sodium, saturated fat, sugar and other unhealthy stances, you can lower your cholesterol level and prevent them from becoming too high. Be careful about making major dietary changes without first consulting your doctor. Sudden change, even positive change, can be dangerous, especially if you have a serious medical condition.
Exercising regularly is another great way to prevent high cholesterol. Aerobic exercise, weight trading and just about any activity that gets your heart rate up and your body moving will help tremendously in preventing high cholesterol and lowering it once you have it.
You should also make other healthy lifestyle changes, such as quitting smoking and drinking less alcohol, if you indulge in either of these vices. Both of them put a strain on your body and increase your cholesterol levels tremendously.
Doing all of these provides you with another means to fight high cholesterol- weight loss. If you lose some weight, you will see a major difference in your cholesterol levels. This should be your goal the entire time you are trying to combat cholesterol, as losing fatty tissue provides a permanent improvement to cholesterol levels and deals with the core issue instead of just treating the symptoms or staving off an inevitable heart attack.
Be sure to talk to your doctor about your cholesterol levels and what you can do to prevent high cholesterol and lower your current cholesterol. Follow your doctor’s advice and take any prescribed medication to successfully attack high cholesterol and to get your body to a healthy state. Once you do that, you will be at much less risk for stroke, heart attacks, chest pains and other complications stemming from high cholesterol.
