Recognizing The Symptoms Of High Cholesterol

Having high cholesterol can only really be confirmed by having a cholesterol blood test. However understanding what high cholesterol could do to the body may help a person decide to get a blood test to confirm either way what their cholesterol level is. This is the first step towards developing a plan to reduce the level. Thus understanding the symptoms of high cholesterol and the lifestyle that is symptomatic of developing a high cholesterol reading is important information to understand.

Current thought on the affects of high cholesterol suggest that it results in plaque or LDL cholesterol sticking to the inner walls of bloods vessels, in particular the arteries. This leads to  atherosclerosis or hardening of the arteries. This can also lead to higher blood pressure as the heart has to work harder to pump blood through the arteries. However, conditions like these may not always manifest any outward signs that are recognizable to a layman. So they may give no symptoms or the symptoms that they do give may be interpreted as something else.

So until high blood pressure is confirmed by a clinical examination, many people find it more instructive to look at a person's lifestyle to determine the likelihood that they will have high cholesterol. 

Eating foods high in cholesterol for a long time can be a sign of possible high cholesterol in a person. The length of time will vary from person to person based on their metabolism, genetics and other lifestyle factors. This so called symptom of high cholesterol is something that most people are aware of these days but struggle to give up foods they like to eat or fall back on bad eating habits once the motivation to eat healthy wears off.

Fatty, greasy and oily foods are definitely foods that are not good for a person's cholesterol level. Eating large amount of these kinds of food is sure to give the individual high cholesterol. Fried foods are included in the foods that are possible causes of high cholesterol.

A sedentary lifestyle is also symptomatic or a symptom of high cholesterol. People that spend most of their day sitting down in an office and then go home to watch TV or browse the internet do not get enough exercise. It is important that you schedule some physical activity in your lifestyle. The current slogan is to get 30 minutes of exercise each day. This doesn't have to be playing a tennis game or running round a track. You can be more creative about exercise. Gardening may be something that interests you and is good exercise to boot. Doing practical exercise like walking to work or to the train station that takes you to work may be an option. How about having a walk after your lunch. It can get you out of the office and give you some exercise too.

If you fit this kind of profile then it might be an idea to get your cholesterol tested the next time you visit your doctor for a check up. I have found that cholesterol testing services are often run at supermarkets if you find going to the doctor inconvenient. Many of these supermarket tests are 'sponsored' by products that claim to reduce your cholesterol level, like spreads or fruit juices with plant sterols in them. However, this does not mean the tests are bogus or falsified to make you buy their products.