The dangers of high cholesterol can arise from unhealthy habits that you may often do, such as eating fatty foods and rarely exercising. If this high cholesterol is not treated, you will be at risk for serious health problems, such as a heart attack and stroke.
Cholesterol is a type of fatty substance found in the bloodstream. The body actually needs this substance for the organs in it to function properly. However, this amount of cholesterol must be kept in the right level.
If excessive, cholesterol can actually block blood flow and cause various health problems.
What are the Types of Cholesterol?
Cholesterol is generally divided into several types and each has a different normal level. Cholesterol levels can be known through regular checks or cholesterol checks, at least every four years.
The following are some types of cholesterol in the body:
High-densitylipoproteins (HDL)
HDL is known as good cholesterol, because it plays a role in carrying excess cholesterol out of the body, either through urine, feces, or sweat. Normal HDL levels are 60 mg/dL.
The higher the HDL level in the body, the better for health. On the other hand, you need to be alert if a cholesterol test shows your HDL level is below 40 mg/dL.
Low-densitylipoproteins (LDL)
Safe LDL cholesterol levels are below 100 mg/dL. In contrast to HDL levels, the higher the better, high LDL levels can actually increase your risk of developing clogged arteries. Therefore, this type of cholesterol is also known as bad cholesterol.
Triglycerides
In addition to HDL and LDL, there is also a type of fat called triglycerides. In the body, these triglycerides are carried by VLDL (very low density lipoprotein). Triglycerides are the most common type of cholesterol in the body.
Normal triglyceride levels are below 150 mg/dL. If the amount is excessive, triglycerides and LDL can build up in the blood vessels, causing obstruction to blood flow. This is the reason why LDL and triglyceride levels must be kept from getting too high.
Know the Dangers of High Cholesterol
Increased levels of cholesterol in the blood can be influenced by various factors, including rarely exercising, often eating foods with high saturated fat content, smoking, being overweight (obesity), and suffering from diabetes.
Without proper treatment, high cholesterol levels in the blood will increase your risk of experiencing a number of health problems, such as:
1. Heart attack
Too much cholesterol in the blood can cause blood vessels to harden or narrow (atherosclerosis). If blood flow to the heart is disturbed, heart disease can occur. If left untreated, this condition can lead to dangerous complications, namely a heart attack.
2. Stroke
If the narrowing occurs in the blood vessels of the brain, there can be disturbances in brain function, which will adversely affect the ability to think, memory, and mental condition. Worse yet, this condition can also lead to a stroke.
3. Peripheral artery disease
This disease is also known as peripheral arterial disease. This cholesterol danger occurs when the arteries in the legs or arms are blocked, causing several complaints, such as pain, cramps, to numbness, when the body performs physical activities, such as walking, running, or lifting something.
It can also cause the arms and legs to look pale, feel cold, often have tingling sensations, and sores that don't heal on the arms and legs.
4. Gallstones
In the digestive system, cholesterol is needed to produce bile which functions to digest fats and absorb nutrients from the food you eat.
However, if the cholesterol level in the blood is too high, the excess cholesterol is at risk of causing gallstones to form.
Protect Yourself from the Dangers of Cholesterol Early on
No matter how old you are, it's not too late to rid yourself of the dangers of cholesterol. Protect yourself from the dangers of cholesterol as early as possible through the various ways below:
- Eat nutritious and low cholesterol foods.
- Quit smoking.
- Maintain ideal body weight.
- Limit consumption of alcoholic beverages.
- Reduce stress.
- Do exercise regularly for at least 20-30 minutes every day.
High cholesterol levels can be harmful to health and need to be treated immediately. But unfortunately, this condition does not cause symptoms, so many people with high cholesterol only realize their condition after the emergence of diseases related to the dangers of high cholesterol.
Therefore, make sure you do regular health checks to the doctor. In addition to checking your cholesterol levels, the doctor will also help you determine the efforts that can be taken to keep cholesterol levels from being high and prevent the dangers of cholesterol.