Unfortunately there are no blatant symptoms for high cholesterol. That’s why it is considered one of the silent killers. Many people who suddenly suffer a heart attack only find out much later that their arteries were blocked and their cholesterol levels were high. We discussed this in a previous article that you may find here: Understanding Your Cholesterol Numbers and Knowing what is a Normal Cholesterol Level
This is one reason why everyone over the age of 20 should do a blood test to check their cholesterol readings once every few years. This will help ascertain if you have any health risks or a high cholesterol level. Do not wait till the problem escalates to a point where there is imminent danger to your life.
While there are no symptoms to high cholesterol, there are a few mild signs that could serve as warning flags. They may seem commonplace and are often ignored by too many people.
This article will list a few of the signs that you should look out for. If you have any of them, do see a doctor and get a blood test done for your cholesterol levels.
Dizziness or mild chest pains are signs that your cholesterol levels are quite high. The cholesterol might have caused a buildup of plaque in your arteries and the heart is being affected.
Do not ignore the chest pain. It may worsen and lead to a stroke or a heart attack. Dizziness is another worrying sign that implies that not enough blood is reaching your heart due to a blockage in the artery. This is affecting the oxygen saturation in your body and that is why you feel dizzy.
Stress is another warning sign. While most people tend to get stressed out due to living in a fast paced world, high cholesterol levels can make you feel stressed out too. The stress acts as a forewarning. It’s an almost intuitive feeling that something in your body is just not right. Pay heed to your intuition.
Visit your doctor and check your cholesterol levels. Follow up on your tests and see what they actually mean and what steps you can take to remedy a bad situation if your cholesterol levels are high.
Lethargy and unexplained body aches are usually due to poor food choices. Foods high in sugar, unhealthy fats, additives, preservatives, chemicals, etc. often make the body feel miserable. While you may enjoy the unhealthy food and feel happy for a while, this happiness is often short lived.
Your body will feel tired and in pain. This pain is inflammation. Since bad food raises your bad cholesterol levels; if your body is inflamed or if you’re overweight or obese, there is a very high chance that your cholesterol levels are high too.
Eating the right foods which are beneficial to your body will leave you feeling energetic, happy and healthy. You will be able to actually feel healthy. It’s intangible yet it can be felt. You will only understand this when you clean up your diet and make the change to living a healthy lifestyle.
Prevention is better than cure. It is always better to eat a sensible diet and lead an active lifestyle when you’re still healthy. Do not wait till things get bad before you wake up and decide to take action. Certain problems can’t be reversed.
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A poor diet can lead to Type-2 diabetes which could have been avoided. Yet, once you get it, it’s a problem that will never go away. In the same way, once your arteries are blocked, you may get heart disease and even need a heart bypass.
All these can be avoided. A stitch in time saves nine. Start making changes today and you will have fewer problems tomorrow. Stay healthy and eat wisely.
