High cholesterol: Nutritionist reveals top prevention tips
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High cholesterol is the name given to having too much of a fatty substance in your blood. This substance, known as cholesterol, can lead to blockages in your blood vessels.
Blocked blood vessels raise the risk of heart attacks and strokes, as it limits the blood supply to the heart and the rest of the body.
It’s not always easy to know whether you have high cholesterol, as there aren’t any obvious symptoms.
But, there are some hidden warning signs that you should consider getting your cholesterol levels checked.
You could, however, be at risk of high cholesterol if you develop yellow areas of skin around your eyes.
Some patients with high cholesterol develop unusual patches of skin around the eyes or nose, according to medical website VeryWell Health.
These patches, which are known as xanthelasmas, are caused by a buildup of cholesterol under the skin.
They don’t necessarily affect your vision, but they become noticeable over time when simply looking in the mirror.
You might notice a flat or rough area of skin surrounding the eyes, or near to the nose.
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“Some common symptoms of high cholesterol can change how your eyes or the area around your eyes looks,” it said.
“The most common eye symptom that is linked to high cholesterol is a xanthelasma — a flat or somewhat raised yellowish area around the eyes or near the nose.
“The deposits are caused by a buildup of cholesterol under the skin. Xanthelasmas do not affect your vision.
“About half of the people who have xanthelasmas have high cholesterol.”
You could also be at risk of high cholesterol if you notice a pale grey ring around the blacks of your eye.
The condition is known as arcus senilis, and usually affects the coloured part of the eye – the iris.
At first, the arcus senilis might only show up at the top and bottom of the eye.
But, over time, the arc grows and eventually forms a full ring around the cornea.
Meanwhile, high cholesterol may be caused by eating lots of fatty foods, or by not doing enough exercise.
Obesity, smoking, and drinking lots of alcohol, all contribute to your cholesterol levels.
Medication can help to keep your cholesterol levels in check, but it’s also important to stick to a healthy diet, and to do regular exercise.
Everyone should aim to eat at least five portions of fruit and vegetables every day, as well as 150 minutes of exercise every week.
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