If you are over 20 years old, it is quite a necessity to get your cholesterol levels checked every five years. After 35, the frequency of the tests must be increased to keep the levels in check.

The Disease
Cholesterol is present in every cell of the body and is primarily manufactured by the body itself. It is oil based and hence is carried around the body in blood by lipoproteins.

There are mainly two types of lipoproteins:

1. Low-density lipoprotein (LDL – carrying bad cholesterol)
2. High-density lipoprotein (HDL – carrying good cholesterol)

High Cholesterol poses the risk of build-up within arteries (LDL), leading to coronary heart diseases. A buildup of cholesterol in the arteries taking blood to the liver is called atherosclerosis. Both these conditions are full of health risks.

The Cause

There are many ways in which cholesterol can get deposited in the arteries and lead to their hardening. The major causes are regular diets high in saturated fats, trans fats and sugar, obesity and leading a sedentary lifestyle.

High Cholesterol is often called a silent killer as it shows very less visible symptoms. Many times, it goes undetected until severe problems develop or one has a heart attack. However, there are a few symptoms which can help you diagnose high cholesterol issue.

• Xanthelasma – soft, yellowish lesions or growths on the skin indicating a genetic predisposition of high cholesterol
• Extreme obesity or diabetes raises the chances of suffering from high cholesterol
• Testing

The most common and effective way to diagnose high cholesterol problem is through blood testing. The test must be ideally done after a period of fasting of 9-12 hours to get an accurate reading of LDL cholesterol. The test also measures the levels of total cholesterol and HDL cholesterol.

Remedies

When a disease like High Cholesterol poses fatal risk, you need to be extra careful about your health. A few changes in your lifestyle can do wonders. We would recommend you the following in addition to the treatments that your specialist doctors recommend.

Start eating food or start a diet which is healthy for the heart. (avoid foods with high amounts of saturated fat; eat more vegetables, fiber-rich diet, fruits and grains)

• Exercise regularly; stay as much active as possible
• Quit smoking. It will only weaken your heart.
• Maintain an optimum healthy weight