Treating high cholesterol: seek help outside of the doctor’s officeYour doctor should always be your first step when treating any health problem. But if your doctor recommends diet and exercise to treat your high cholesterol, you should strongly consider getting help from dietitian and/or personal fitness trainers.Although dieting and exercise is effective in treating most cases of high blood pressure, many people don’t have the patience to stick with those treatment paths for as long as they should. Dietitians will know more specialized information about the best types of foods you should be eating, and personal trainers can help keep you motivated to keep working out. The costs of hiring dietitians and trainers can be expensive, but the price is more than worth it if it keeps you on the path to recovery. Be sure to check with your insurance company to make sure trips to other health specialists are allowed. If necessary, you can also ask your doctor for a referral to a dietitian or a personal fitness specialist. |
My cholesterol levels were too high I love cheeseburgers and fries, but I must have eaten a few too many. Last year, my doctor performed a routine blood test and the results showed I had high cholesterol levels. I didn’t realize my cholesterol levels were so high; I didn’t realize there are no symptoms of high cholesterol other than heart attacks, coronary disease and other deadly ailments.My diagnosis inspired me to learn more about cholesterol. I was shocked to see how little I knew about it beforehand. Turns out, there are good and bad cholesterols for the body, and the body actually makes most of its own cholesterol. The bad news is that the worst thing for high cholesterol is saturated fat. For those who don’t know, saturated fat is most commonly found in animal or dairy products. Those products include the aforementioned cheeseburgers and fries, even ice cream. Fortunately, my doctor didn’t require me to begin taking medication to lower my cholesterol levels. However, I immediately improved my lifestyle by joining a local gym and eating a balanced, low-fat diet. The changes in my lifestyle worked. My cholesterol levels have gone down, and I’m no longer afraid of dropping dead from a heart attack. High cholesterol: a silent killerHigh cholesterol is a serious health problem. However, most people don’t know they have high cholesterol until it’s too late. When’s the last time you had your blood tested for high cholesterol levels? It’s worth it to get checked. Sometimes I wonder what might have happened had I never been tested. I would never have started exercising, and I would still be pounding down the cheeseburgers and fries. I’m eternally grateful that I learned about my cholesterol levels as early on as I did.At what age should people be tested?Cholesterol testing is recommended for all adults every five years, although young adults are less likely to have high cholesterol. Men ages 45 and older and women ages 55 and older are most prone to having or developing high cholesterol. Cholesterol testing is generally not needed for people under the age of 20 unless they have an increased risk for heart disease. Risk factors include a family history of heart problems, being overweight, poor dietary habits, smoking, diabetes and high blood pressure.Not all cholesterol is harmfulSome cholesterol is good. In fact, your body naturally produces cholesterol for producing cell membranes and hormones, as well as serving in other bodily functions. High-density lipoprotein cholesterol helps remove bad cholesterol from the walls of arteries and prevent clogging in blood vessels. |
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