What is high cholesterol?
High cholesterol is a condition in which there is too much cholesterol floating around in the blood attaching to blood vessels. Cholesterol is a wax-like substance found in the the fat cells in your blood. It is found in foods such as eggs, meat, and dairy products, and is needed in small amounts for your body to function properly. When an excess of cholesterol builds up it starts to limit blood flow in your arteries, putting a person at risk for developing heart disease, strokes, or other dangerous conditions.
What causes high cholesterol?
High cholesterol is caused primarily by unhealthy life choices. Lack of exercise, obesity, smoking, and an unhealthy diet are all likely contributors.
However, some risk factors are uncontrollable such as age, gender (women after menopause are more likely to develop high cholesterol), and family history.
How is high cholesterol treated?
Preventative treatment for high cholesterol includes making health lifestyle choices such as exercising regularly and maintaining a healthy diet and body weight. You can also lower your risk of developing high cholesterol by eating a low salt diet, limiting the amount of animal fats you consume, and quit smoking if you are a smoker.
Once you are diagnosed with high cholesterol, Dr. Jain can help you develop a plan to lower your cholesterol through a combination of drug therapy and healthy lifestyle changes.