High cholesterol: Nutritionist reveals top prevention tips
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High cholesterol can cause a multitude of different health issues, and needs to be kept at a healthy level to prevent heart disease, heart attacks, strokes and other serious health problems. High cholesterol levels are mainly caused by eating fatty foods, not getting enough exercise, drinking too much alcohol and smoking.
Your cholesterol isn’t just a simple number, but a number of measurements taken that give your doctor a “lipid profile”.
A lipid profile includes LDL (bad) and HDL (good) cholesterol and triglycerides.
An unhealthy lipid profile can lead to hardening of artery walls, causing serious problems for heart health.
Cholesterol is a waxy substance found in your blood, and while your body needs it to build healthy cells, having too much can lead to fatty deposits in your blood cells.
This makes it difficult for blood to flow through your arteries, and when these deposits break, it can completely block blood flow, causing a heart attack or stroke.
High blood cholesterol can be inherited, but it’s mostly the result of unhealthy lifestyle choices, meaning it is both preventable and treatable.
A high cholesterol level often does cause symptoms, but very high levels can cause something called xanthomas on the skin.
Xanthomas is a skin condition in which fats build up under the surface of the skin.
WebMD describes Xanthomas as “soft, yellowish growths or lesions” with defined borders which usually form in clusters.
The bumps can vary in size, with some the same size as a mole and others ranging up to 7cm in diameter.
They can appear anywhere on the body, but are most often seen on the elbows, knees, hands, feet, and buttocks.
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Xanthomas can also be a sign of a number of serious health conditions. These include:
- Certain cancers
- Diabetes
- HIV
- Inherited metabolic disorders, such as familial hypercholesterolemia
- Scarring of the liver due to blocked bile ducts (primary biliary cirrhosis)
- Inflammation and swelling of the pancreas (pancreatitis)
- Underactive thyroid (hypothyroidism)
What should I do if I have xanthomas?
You should contact your GP if you believe you have xanthomas on your skin.
Most of the time they will recommend changes to your diet and lifestyle and book follow up appointments to see if you’re cholesterol level drops.
If your cholesterol levels are very high, you may be referred to an endocrinologist, lipidologist, or dietitian to help you get your levels back to normal.
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