Talk to your doctor about cholesterol and they will soon inform you that you must keep your cholesterol levels within the normal range.
The reason, quite simply, is that a high cholesterol is an indication that you are at risk of heart disease.
Cholesterol is a wax-like substance present inside our body which helps in protecting our nerves, producing various hormones, and building cell tissues.
The liver automatically produces the cholesterol that our body requires.
Besides this, we also receive cholesterol from the food that we consume on a daily basis.
Consumption of too much cholesterol exerts a negative impact on our overall health, and lead to heart diseases, such as stroke and heart attack.
Thus, there is a constant need to lower cholesterol level in our body.
When a person has excessive cholesterol, it gets stored in the arteries, which carry blood to the different parts of the body from the heart.
This buildup, known as plaque, accumulates over time and restricts the blood flow in the arteries.
Sometimes, the deposit increases to such a high level that it completely blocks the artery.
If any artery in the body gets blocked, it can lead to heart attack.
Similarly, blockage of artery supplying blood to the brain can result in stroke.
How Often Should I Get My Cholesterol Checked? There is no way to find out if you have high level of cholesterol in your body without getting it checked.
A simple blood test called lipid panel is used for checking the cholesterol level.
All adults over the age of 20 years should get their cholesterol levels checked after a gap of 5 years.
In case you found the level to be high or you have any risk factors that can cause heart diseases, you should get it checked more often.
The normal cholesterol level for an average person is below 200.
If it lies between 200 and 239, it is considered to be borderline high, whereas over 240 means that you are at the risk of heart problems.
What Should I Do to Lower My Cholesterol? If you suffer from the problem of high cholesterol, it is extremely important for you to make certain lifestyle changes immediately to lower cholesterol.
For instance, if you are a smoker, give up smoking completely.
Make sure to do some exercises regularly.
Work on changing your diet: if you are overweight, losing five or ten pounds will help you bring down your cholesterol levels considerably.
Eat the right kind of diet and include lots of vegetables, fruits, fish, and whole grains as they are good for our heart health.
Avoid consumption of trans-fats and saturated fats that contribute greatly to increase our cholesterol level.
Make sure that your overall intake of cholesterol is below 300 milligrams in a day and less than 200 milligrams if you already suffer from any kind of heart ailment.
So, if you want to stay away from heart diseases, make sure that you lower cholesterol level in your body to below 200, and follow the right diet to maintain this level.
The reason, quite simply, is that a high cholesterol is an indication that you are at risk of heart disease.
Cholesterol is a wax-like substance present inside our body which helps in protecting our nerves, producing various hormones, and building cell tissues.
The liver automatically produces the cholesterol that our body requires.
Besides this, we also receive cholesterol from the food that we consume on a daily basis.
Consumption of too much cholesterol exerts a negative impact on our overall health, and lead to heart diseases, such as stroke and heart attack.
Thus, there is a constant need to lower cholesterol level in our body.
When a person has excessive cholesterol, it gets stored in the arteries, which carry blood to the different parts of the body from the heart.
This buildup, known as plaque, accumulates over time and restricts the blood flow in the arteries.
Sometimes, the deposit increases to such a high level that it completely blocks the artery.
If any artery in the body gets blocked, it can lead to heart attack.
Similarly, blockage of artery supplying blood to the brain can result in stroke.
How Often Should I Get My Cholesterol Checked? There is no way to find out if you have high level of cholesterol in your body without getting it checked.
A simple blood test called lipid panel is used for checking the cholesterol level.
All adults over the age of 20 years should get their cholesterol levels checked after a gap of 5 years.
In case you found the level to be high or you have any risk factors that can cause heart diseases, you should get it checked more often.
The normal cholesterol level for an average person is below 200.
If it lies between 200 and 239, it is considered to be borderline high, whereas over 240 means that you are at the risk of heart problems.
What Should I Do to Lower My Cholesterol? If you suffer from the problem of high cholesterol, it is extremely important for you to make certain lifestyle changes immediately to lower cholesterol.
For instance, if you are a smoker, give up smoking completely.
Make sure to do some exercises regularly.
Work on changing your diet: if you are overweight, losing five or ten pounds will help you bring down your cholesterol levels considerably.
Eat the right kind of diet and include lots of vegetables, fruits, fish, and whole grains as they are good for our heart health.
Avoid consumption of trans-fats and saturated fats that contribute greatly to increase our cholesterol level.
Make sure that your overall intake of cholesterol is below 300 milligrams in a day and less than 200 milligrams if you already suffer from any kind of heart ailment.
So, if you want to stay away from heart diseases, make sure that you lower cholesterol level in your body to below 200, and follow the right diet to maintain this level.
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