Recently I was having a discussion with my friend (Tyler) who believes there is simply no reason to cut back on high cholesterol foods such as butter, sausage, duck, and gravy until he sees symptoms of high cholesterol. He is determined to live life towards the fullest and eating high saturated fat foods are part of his recipe for having fun. What makes Tyler's attitude even more troubling is that he has a family history or coronary artery disease. Nevertheless, one from the questions he always asks me is what are the symptoms of high cholesterol, and if there are no symptoms why should I waste my time worrying about it.
It is easy to see his point, and in numerous ways Tyler's attitude is why high cholesterol related diseases such as coronary heart disease, cardiovascular disease and stroke continue to be such serious health concerns. To drive home the point let's look at a couple of numbers: an estimated 7,570,000 will die of heart disease this year with an additional 5,740,000 estimated to die of stroke. And these staggering numbers don't comprise those whose lives have been seriously impaired because of disability after having a heart attack and stroke.
The truth belonging to the matter is that there actually aren't any symptoms of high cholesterol. Once in a while, when levels are particularly high, fat is deposited while in the skin and tendons and forms bumps, called xanthomas. Very high triglyceride (a type of fat found inside the blood) can induce the spleen or liver to enlarge and could develop the risk of pancreatitis. So very few real symptoms of high cholesterol occur until after the fact. This leads us to our next point. Since there are basically no symptoms of high cholesterol, and high LDL (bad cholesterol) is a major contributing factor to potentially deadly heart attack or stroke, then prevention along with regular testing appears to be the greatest defense.
In this regard what we eat and drink play an important role in controlling one's cholesterol. Taking forward thinking steps such as maintaining a heart healthful diet, implementing a well thought out exercise program tailored to your specific needs, and avoiding tobacco altogether should be considered, especially if there is a history of coronary artery disease in your family. If the above steps fail to do the trick then other options should be considered, such as cholesterol lowering medications or natural cholesterol remedies.
In summary, there are very few symptoms of high cholesterol and even those don't tell us whether a heart attack or stroke is headed our way. Nevertheless, a uncomplicated blood test can provide important clues allowing us to make lifestyle adjustment earlier instead of later.
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