High Cholesterol
What is high cholesterol?
Cholesterol refers to a substance your body generates to create cells, protect nerves, and produce hormones. It’s important to maintain regular levels of cholesterol in your body because when there’s too much of it your arteries can narrow and prevent vital oxygen-rich blood from reaching your brain and heart.
High cholesterol levels increase your risk of having a stroke or a heart attack.
How do you diagnose high cholesterol?
Unfortunately, high cholesterol doesn’t exhibit symptoms, which makes it very difficult to determine if you have unstable levels of cholesterol. That’s why it’s vitally important to get your cholesterol levels checked regularly at Family Tree Medical Group.
To do so, your doctor orders blood tests to determine if you require treatment. Two types of cholesterol determine your overall health:
- High-density lipoprotein (HDL): healthy cholesterol that lowers your risk of heart disease
- Low-density (LDL): unhealthy cholesterol
- HDL must be higher than LDL to be considered healthy.
What causes high cholesterol?
Many factors cause high cholesterol, including diet, genetics, and many lifestyle habits. You’re at risk of high cholesterol if you have a family history of high cholesterol, don’t maintain a healthy exercise regimen, smoke regularly, eat foods high in saturated fat, and struggle with overweight.
How do you treat high cholesterol?
Your doctor at Family Tree Medical Group works with you to develop an individualized treatment plan that best matches your daily life. This can include lifestyle changes and medication to lower your cholesterol levels.
Your doctor might also recommend that you:
- Lose weight
- Work out regularly
- Eat more fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts, whole grains, and other fiber-rich foods
- Avoid alcohol consumption
- Avoid processed meats
- Avoid high-fat dairy products
- Stop smoking
- Consume more omega-3 fatty acids
In most cases, drastic modifications to your daily routine can significantly improve your cholesterol levels. Your doctor can help you identify the elements of your daily life that increase your chances of high cholesterol and recommend real ways for you to get rid of them. With proper care, you can effectively restore your cholesterol to a healthy level.
Call today to find out more about high cholesterol treatment.