Cholesterol is a waxy substance in
the blood that is used to build healthy cells, but when levels get too high —
due to poor diet and other lifestyle habits, existing medical conditions,
genetics, or a combination of these factors — the risk of heart disease
increases. That is because high cholesterol causes fatty deposits to develop in
the blood vessels, and these deposits constrict blood flow to the arteries over
time and may suddenly break off to form a clot, causing a heart attack or
stroke.
There are two main types of
cholesterol: low-density lipoprotein (LDL), or “bad” cholesterol and
high-density lipoprotein (HDL), or “good” cholesterol.
A blood test can check a person’s
cholesterol levels. Test results display cholesterol levels in milligrams per
deciliter (mg/dL) of blood. For adults, cholesterol ranges include:
normal: 199 mg/dL or lower
borderline: 200–239 mg/dL
high: over 240 mg/dL
However, there may be different
guidelines, depending on where a person lives. For example,
the recommended normal level in South Africa is below 189.5 mg/dL.
Experts often cite weight as a
potential risk factor for high cholesterol. The American Heart Association
(AHA) says being overweight or obese can raise bad cholesterol and lower good
cholesterol, and a weight loss of 5 to 10 percent can help improve those
numbers. But there are also other contributing factors, including age, lifestyle
(like diet, exercise and other habits such as smoking and alcohol use), personal and family history. Thus being physically fit can still have a chance to have high
A cholesterol treatment plan will
include good lifestyle habits involving a healthy diet plan, sufficient
exercise, adequate sleep and stress reduction.
According to Cleveland Clinic,
aerobic exercise, such as walking, raises HDL cholesterol. This, combined with
weight loss and a healthy diet, can also help lower LDL cholesterol. By the
way, walking is a great exercise, because it is aerobic, easy to do and
accessible. Other options include running, swimming and dancing.
The AHA recommends at least 30
minutes of aerobic exercise most days of the week.
Statins are the most commonly
prescribed medication to treat high cholesterol and can help people who have
been unsuccessful at lowering their numbers through lifestyle modifications
alone. Actually, today’s medications are so good that they may normalize a
person’s cholesterol numbers by themselves.
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