One of the most dangerous diseases and causes of death in the world is heart disease and stroke associated with high cholesterol. Since there are no early symptoms of high cholesterol, you may find yourself with high cholesterol without warning.
Cholesterol is a compound present in every cell of the body that the body uses to produce hormones necessary for it and to build new healthy cells.
When fatty deposits occur on the walls of blood vessels, the level of cholesterol in the blood rises,
which hinders the flow of blood into the arteries. Thus, the blood will not get the amount of oxygen-loaded blood it needs, which increases the risk of a heart attack or stroke.
Cholesterol is formed in the liver by 80%, and the rest comes from your diet, such as: eggs, meat, and dairy products. There are two types of cholesterol:
Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) or harmful cholesterol.
HDL or good cholesterol.
Reasons for high cholesterol in the blood:
1- Excess weight, especially in the abdominal area.
2- Smoking.
3- Diabetes helps in high cholesterol.
4- Eat heavily fat animal meat.
5- Obesity and excessive weight gain as it leads to high harmful cholesterol in the blood.
6- Genetic factors, where the genes in the human body determine the amount of good cholesterol production or disposal.
7- Lack of movement, lethargy and lack of exercise increase the level of cholesterol in the blood.
8- The percentage of harmful cholesterol increases during and after menopause, as it is higher in women than men.
9- Stress and stress leads to a lot of harmful saturated fats that lead to increased cholesterol in the blood.
Damage to high cholesterol:
1- Heart diseases and angina, which are diseases associated with the blood vessels of the heart, such as: narrowing of the arteries of the heart, which leads to the incidence of angina.
2- Heart stroke occurs as a result of narrowed arteries and low blood flow to the heart, so the heart fails to get enough blood.
3- Brain thrombosis, which occurs as a result of lack of blood that reaches the brain due to narrowing of the arteries due to cholesterol.
4- Coronary artery disease, which occurs as a result of the gradual narrowing of the arteries that supply the legs. When any physical exertion is made, the legs do not get enough blood, and thus excruciating pain in the legs occurs.
5- Blocking of blood vessels and occurs as a result of increased cholesterol in the blood, so the accumulated fatty deposits that lead to narrowing of the arteries of the viscera, kidneys and intestine
High cholesterol can be treated with healthy eating, exercise, and lower cholesterol medication.
Because of high cholesterol, fat deposits can form in the patient’s blood vessels. Ultimately, these deposits will grow and make it difficult for enough blood to flow through the arteries. Sometimes these deposits suddenly burst to form a clot that causes a heart attack or stroke.
High cholesterol can be inherited, but this condition usually occurs as a result of an unhealthy lifestyle, which makes this elevation treatable and preventable. By eating a healthy diet, exercising and sometimes taking medications, high cholesterol can be lowered.