CONTENTS
Cholesterol is crucial for the body as it promotes the generation of healthy cells and blood flow. However, an increased cholesterol level can cause plaque deposits in the arteries and inhibit the blood flow to tissues. The mere mention of the word cholesterol is enough to make anyone jittery. After all, high cholesterol levels are associated with several health issues. They also increase the risk of stroke or heart attack.
The risk increases with age and poor lifestyle choices. More youngsters than ever now understand the importance of keeping a check on cholesterol levels. They thus incorporate physical activity in their routine to stay healthy and control cholesterol levels. Healthcare practitioners also advise old people to get involved in moderate physical activity and stay healthy.
The increasing number of heart attacks and strokes is an alarm, and it is imperative to lead a healthy lifestyle. However, preparation is as important as prevention. In the unfortunate event of a cholesterol-caused health emergency, you wouldn’t want hospital bills to stress you further. Buying a health insurance plan is thus a good way to prepare for an unforeseen event like that. Youngsters can consider buying health insurance for parents and themselves to protect themselves financially in case of a medical emergency.
Did you spot high cholesterol warning signs?
Which is why physical and financial preparation is important
Cholesterol is often referred to as a silent killer. It gets this description from the fact that there are generally no symptoms of high cholesterol levels. People often come to know about elevated cholesterol levels when they have already contracted cholesterol-caused illnesses and are experiencing ailment-specific symptoms.
This makes it important to watch your diet, exercise regularly, and prepare financially.
Looking for signs of high cholesterol:
Periodic health check-ups are a great way to stay on track concerning your health. You can also identify some warning signs indicating high cholesterol levels.
If you observe unusual cramping or uncomfortable sensation in your hips, calf muscles, or thighs while exercising, it could be a sign of peripheral artery disease (PAD). This happens when there is an inadequate flow of blood to the legs. Fatty deposits in the arteries restrict blood flow and lead to PAD. Thus, painful cramps could be signs of cholesterol.
Some other signs that indicate PAD or high cholesterol are:
1. Poor athletic performance because of weakness or numbness in legs while exercising
2. Absence of pulse in legs or feet
3. Shiny appearance of leg skin
4. Change in skin colour on the legs
5. Inhibited toenail growth
6. Hair loss on the legs
7. Difficult to heal sores on feet, legs, or toes
8. Pain while walking or performing tasks involving the arms
9. Erectile dysfunction
Why controlling your cholesterol is important?
If you ignore these warning signs, put off your health check-ups for later or do not pay attention to high cholesterol levels, you could be signing up for several health issues, including heart-related ailments.
Smokers, diabetics, and older adults are at a greater risk of PAD. Improving your lifestyle and being diligent with healthcare is thus important to stay healthy for a long time.
Lowering your risk of high cholesterol:
Below are the ways in which you can reduce the risk of high cholesterol:
1. Choose a healthy diet over junk
2. Incorporate nutrition-dense food into your diet. This includes vegetables, fruits and meat
3. Maintain an active lifestyle and control your weight
4. Minimise alcohol intake and give up on smoking
Healthy food choices for lower cholesterol levels:
Foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids and soluble fibres can lower the cholesterol risk. If you are a vegetarian, oatmeal, kidney beans, brussels sprouts, apples, pears, flaxseeds, walnuts and vegetables, in general, can reduce your cholesterol risk. Non-vegetarians can choose salmon and mackerel apart from the vegetarian options.
Conclusion:
Your health is the greatest wealth, and you must take adequate care to avoid diseases. Keeping your cholesterol in check is a great way to do that. Make sure that you consume a healthy diet and exercise regularly to embrace a healthy lifestyle. Also, opt for regular check-ups and look out for common signs of cholesterol. As you do all of this, also consider health insurance for parents and yourself to ensure that medical emergencies do not catch you unarmed and leave you helpless.
