HIGH
HEALTHY BODY · NOVEMBER 2018
CHOLESTEROL
AND
C
HEALTH RISKS
holesterol is a waxy, fat-like
substance that is found in every
cell of your body. Your body needs
cholesterol to make hormones,
vitamin D, and substances to help
you digest food. However, too much cholesterol
can lead to a number of complications, including
heart disease and stroke.
When there is an excess of cholesterol in the
body, it begins to form plaque that sticks to the
artery walls. This plaque build-up can restrict
blood flow and oxygen to the brain, which can
cause a stroke. High cholesterol also increases
your risk for heart disease due to the same
plaque build-up.
› According to the Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention, 95 million adults living in the
United States have high cholesterol. Since there
are usually no symptoms associated with high
cholesterol, it’s important to understand the
risk factors associated with it, how to manage
it, and when you should get it checked.
Major risk factors of high cholesterol include:
• UNHEALTHY EATING HABITS
• LACK OF EXERCISE
• SMOKING
• EXCESS
ALCOHOL
CONSUMPTION
• AGE
• WEIGHT
• HEREDITY
The desired total cholesterol level in
someone’s body is below 200mg/dL.
This means that there are 200
milligrams of cholesterol per deciliter
of blood. If your total cholesterol level
is higher than 200 mg/dL, you may be
at an increased risk for stroke or heart
disease. Here are some ways to reduce
your total cholesterol levels:
• EXERCISE REGULARLY
THROUGHOUT THE WEEK
• DEVELOP A HEALTHY DIET FULL
OF OMEGA 3 AND LIMIT YOUR
SATURATED FATS
• QUIT SMOKING
• MAINTAIN A HEALTHY WEIGHT
• LIMIT ALCOHOL CONSUMPTION
Everyone should have their cholesterol
levels checked periodically. The chances
of developing high cholesterol only
increase with age, so the older you are,
the more frequently you should have it
checked. Gender also contributes to
cholesterol levels. Be sure to ask your
family doctor how often you should
have your cholesterol checked
so he or she can offer specific
recommendations based upon your
medical history and lifestyle.
Juan Asuaje, MD
16 HEALTHY MAGAZINE