High cholesterol: Nutritionist reveals top prevention tips
Cholesterol is a waxy substance found in your blood that provides many health benefits, such as building cells. High cholesterol, on the other hand, implies you have too much LDL cholesterol in your blood. LDL cholesterol is a harmful form of cholesterol that can clog up your arteries, thereby raising your risk of heart disease.
This harmful process often goes undetected but high cholesterol isn’t entirely symptomless.
According to healthcare body Medicover Hospitals, a frequent headache in the back of the head is a warning sign of high cholesterol.
The health body explains: “The blockage of blood vessels in the area around the head causes a headache in the back of the head.
“This occurs when the blood vessels are clogged by the cholesterol plaque. If this is left unchecked, the blood vessels can rupture and cause a stroke.”
We will use your email address only for sending you newsletters. Please see our Privacy Notice for details of your data protection rights.
However, more often than not, the only way to find out if you have high cholesterol is to take a blood test.
According to the NHS, your GP might suggest having a test if they think your cholesterol level could be high.
“This may be because of your age, weight or another condition you have (like high blood pressure or diabetes),” explains the health body.
The NHS recommends asking your GP for a cholesterol test if you have not had a test before and you’re over 40, overweight, or high cholesterol or heart problems run in your family.
DON’T MISS
Covid new strain warning: Most ‘unnoticeable’ sign [INSIGHT]
Vitamin D deficiency symptoms: ‘Unusual’ signs of deficiency [ADVICE]
Diabetes symptoms: Sign in your wee of high blood sugar [TIPS]
How to lower high cholesterol
The foods we eat can either have a positive or negative effect on our cholesterol levels.
Eating oily fish is one of the most effective ways to lower harmful cholesterol levels.
According to Harvard Health, eating fish two or three times a week can lower LDL in two ways.
“By replacing meat, which has LDL-boosting saturated fats, and by delivering LDL-lowering omega-3 fats.”
As Harvard Health explains, omega-3s reduce triglycerides in the bloodstream and also protect the heart by helping prevent the onset of abnormal heart rhythms.
Triglycerides are a type of fat (lipid) found in your blood.
Oily fish and other cholesterol lowering foods such as nuts can be found in a Mediterranean diet.
The Mediterranean diet is high in vegetables, fruits, legumes, nuts, beans, cereals, grains, fish and unsaturated fats such as olive oil.
It usually includes a low intake of meat and dairy foods.
What to avoid
Certain dietary decisions can increase the amount of harmful cholesterol in your blood.
According to cholesterol charity Heart UK, you should eat less of the following:
- Lard
- Butter, margarine
- White bread, pasta, rice
- Cornflakes
- Sweet biscuits, cakes
- Chocolate, crisps
- Pastry
- Takeaways
- Sausages, burgers, fatty meat
- High fat cheese, cream, milk.
The above items contain saturated fat, which raise LDL cholesterol levels.
Source: Read Full Article