Check up cholesterol level regularly - Experts
Cholesterol is both good and bad. At normal levels, it is an essential substance for the body. However, if concentrations in the blood get too high, it becomes a silent danger that puts people at risk of heart attack.
A Benin-based medical practitioner, Dr Clement Omoregie, has advised adults to check their cholesterol level regularly to avoid accumulation of bad cholesterol.
He gave the advice in an interview in Benin on Wednesday, noting that high cholesterol level can limit blood flow and increase the risk of heart attack or stroke.
Supreme reports that cholesterol is a waxy fat-like substance found in the human blood, necessary for healthy cells but high levels of it can increase the risk of heart disease, develop fatty deposits in blood vessels.
Cholesterol is both good and bad. At normal levels, it is an essential substance for the body. However, if concentrations in the blood get too high, it becomes a silent danger that puts people at risk of heart attack.
Cholesterol is present in every cell of the body and has important natural functions when it comes to digesting foods, producing hormones, and generating Vitamin D. The body produces it, but people also consume it in food.
Omoregie, therefore, emphasised the need for regular cholesterol level check, noting that "it is detected through blood test. High cholesterol has no symptoms.
Treatment include medication, healthy diet and exercise.
"Medications can help improve your cholesterol but if a patient starts with lifestyle changes to improve on cholesterol, it will help.
"Exercising on most days of the week and increasing physical activity can also help to reduce cholesterol level,'' he said
Similarly, Dr Lucy Imafidon, a Medical Practitioner and Pediatrician also in Benin, said quitting smoking would improve cholesterol level.
According to her, blood pressure and heart rate recover from cigarette-induced spike within 20 minutes of quitting smoking.
She added that "within three months of quitting, blood circulation and lung function will begin to improve and within a year of quitting, the risk of heart disease is half that of a smoker.
"Eat heart-healthy foods. A few changes in your diet can reduce cholesterol and improve your heart health.
"Saturated fats primarily found in red meat and full-fat dairy products will raise total cholesterol. so, decrease consumption of saturated fats to reduce Low-Density Lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol — which is the bad cholesterol."