Signs your cholesterol levels are high
High cholesterol is often caused by poor lifestyle choices, such as eating a high-fat diet, lack of exercise, smoking and drinking too much alcohol. These lifestyle habits can take a toll on your heart health. Sometimes high cholesterol may show up in no signs whatsoever, and can silently build up in your arteries.
These deposits can reduce blood flow through your arteries, which can cause multiple health issues like chest pain, heart disease, strokes etc. Timely identification of signs of high cholesterol is important and your legs might hold clues.
7Types of cholesterol
There are two types of cholesterol, based on what the lipoprotein (they carry cholesterol through your bloodstream to the cells) carries:
Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) – It is known as the “bad” cholesterol, as it transports cholesterol particles throughout your body. This bad cholesterol then builds up in the walls of your arteries, making them hard and narrow, thus putting pressure on your heart.
High-density lipoprotein (HDL) – This is actually the “good” cholesterol, as it picks up excess cholesterol and takes it back to your liver.
What is peripheral artery disease?
High levels of bad cholesterol promotes plaque build-up in your arteries. Plaque is a waxy material made up of cholesterol and other substances. Too much plaque can make your arteries narrow and reduce the blood flow. The buildup of fatty plaque in the arteries is called atherosclerosis.
This restricted blood flow can appear through warning signs in your legs. This can result in peripheral arterial disease (PAD) in the legs or lower extremities. PAD can happen in any blood vessel, however it is more common in the legs.
Pain while walking
Peripheral arterial disease can trigger pain in your legs, especially when you walk. The pain can range from mild to severe, and can suddenly appear like an ache on standing and walking. It usually goes away a few minutes after resting your legs.
Both legs can be affected at the same time due to poor blood circulation from the heart to the legs, although the pain could be worse in one leg.
Other symptoms of PAD
Apart from pain in your leg, signs of peripheral arterial disease can also be seen as:
Loss of hair from your legs and feet
Numbness or weakness in your legs
Brittle and slow-growing toenails
Ulcers on your feet and legs which do not heal
Colour of legs turning pale or blue
The muscles in your legs are shrinking
Consult your doctor
Sometimes peripheral arterial disease symptoms could be a sign of a serious health problem that requires immediate treatment. Therefore, it is important to consult your doctor if you experience pain in your legs while walking, or any other PAD- related sign in the legs, as mentioned above.
Even if you do not experience any signs of high cholesterol, it is advised to get a blood test for regularly checking your cholesterol levels. This is because sometimes you may have high cholesterol and yet experience no symptoms until it is too late.
How to lower high cholesterol
Fortunately, there are various practical lifestyle modifications which can help a lot in bringing down your cholesterol levels, since many times it is caused by an unhealthy lifestyle in the first place. Medications prescribed by your doctor can also help in controlling high cholesterol.
Switch to a healthy diet rich in fruits, vegetables and whole grains. Cut out all kinds of processed and packaged foods. Foods high in saturated fat, such as sausages, biscuits, and cheese, should be avoided or eaten in reduced quantities.
Getting exercise daily is also essential for a healthy body and a healthy heart. Quitting smoking and drinking less alcohol, could also help in improving your cholesterol levels.
