October marks the UK’s National Cholesterol Month – a month devoted to raising awareness of the health implications as a result of high cholesterol levels.

To participate this month, we’re sharing this blog post to tell you everything you need to know about what cholesterol is, the possible health complications associated with the condition and some important guidance on how reduce it!

What raises our cholesterol?

Your blood fat can be raise for a number of reasons, including:

• A diet high in saturated fats including butter, cakes, biscuits, fatty cuts of meat, sausages, bacon cheese, cured meats etc
• Not being active enough and so, the fats that you do eat aren’t burned off
• Genetic conditions can often mean that an individual’s fats aren’t processed in the typical way

What happens if I didn’t lower my cholesterol?

Evidence and medical history shows that a high cholesterol level can increase the risk of:

• Narrowing of the arteries (atherosclerosis)
• Heart attack
• Stroke
• Transient ischaemic attack (TIA)
• Peripheral Arterial Disease (PAD)

The science reveals that cholesterol can build up the artery wall, restricting the blood flow to your heart, brain and the rest of your body. It also increases the risk of a blood clot developing somewhere in your body.

To learn more, please visit HEART UK (heartuk.org.uk).