6 Signs That You May Have High Cholesterol

Why is it so important that cholesterol is at the normal levels and how to maintain it within the health limits? Cholesterol is a vital, fat-like substance that is contained in each cell of our body, as well as in our blood.

Most of the cholesterol is produced by the liver, and the rest is procured through food.

Cholesterol has extremely important reasons for our body and functions: it participates in the construction of cell membranes and in the formation of sexes and adrenal hormones; without cholesterol, the body can not synthesize vitamin D, which is indispensable to healthy bones, nor produces bile acid, without which fat in the body cannot be processed properly.

When an excess of cholesterol accumulates in the body, it can not be broken down and this hides the risks to our health.

The main danger is the onset of atherosclerosis, which in turn is the cause of most cardiovascular diseases such as a heart attack for example.

The causes of increased levels of cholesterol in the blood are different: hereditary predisposition, chronic liver disease and thyroid gland, diabetes.

A sure way to maintain a normal cholesterol level is regular testing. Specialists recommend except for total, to monitor still poor (LDL) and good (HDL) cholesterol, as well as triglycerides.

It is known that 20 years is the age in which the first examination for determining the values of cholesterol should be done.

Revealed in time, increased cholesterol can be overcome and can not lead to serious health problems later.

However, there are certain things that can show that you have high levels of cholesterol in the blood.

Keep in mind that some of these signs and symptoms can also be associated with all kinds of health problems, and therefore only if your blood is examined in a laboratory, you can confirm whether the cholesterol level is high or not.

1. Yellow Growths on Your Eyelids

Did you know that yellowish eyelid can be a sign of high cholesterol? Take a good look at the eyelids, if you notice yellow spots, make a doctor’s appointment, check your cholesterol levels and your heart’s health.

Also, do you notice painless yellow growths of the upper and lower eyelids?

This phenomenon is called “xanthelasma” and it is a clear indication that you have high blood cholesterol levels.

2. Gray-Colored Ring Around Your Cornea

Often this is a sign of aging, so it should not be a cause for worry. But if you are far from retired, the gray circle around the iris may indicate high cholesterol and blood fat, which very often means a risk of heart attack or stroke.

This gray colored ring or lacquer is actually composed of cholesterol that collects in the deeper parts of your cornea.

3. Tingling Sensation in the Hands and Feet

The tingling sensation of the hands and feet may indicate a problem in your body. This should be taken seriously because these symptoms can be caused by serious health problems.

If the blood vessels are blocked by cholesterol, it is likely that you will feel tingling in your hands and feet, because your peripheral nerves (nerves in the limbs) do not get enough blood oxygen and nutrients for their proper functioning.

4. Pain in the Neck and Back of the Head

Because cholesterol levels that are too high can cause some of your blood vessels to block, it’s very possible that your circulation is obstructed. Such can leave your neck sensitive and deteriorate from time to time.

The shoulder can also be felt in the same way. Medical practitioners say that high blood cholesterol levels can also make you have a headache, especially in the back of your head.

5. Rapid or Pounding Beating of the Heart

When a person says that she has heart palpitations, she thinks of the inner feeling that her heart beats something different from the usual one.

Or, it simply has the awareness of the heartbeat. Most of the time, heart palpitations are harmless and they are often experienced after exercise or engaging in the intense physical activity.

Sometimes they are due to anxiety, stress, and the intake of certain drugs.

Palpitations may also indicate problems with the cardiovascular system, but and high cholesterol levels are one of them.

Clogging the blood vessels due to cholesterol can lead to an accelerated operation of your heart.

6. Unhealthy Diet and Lifestyle

If you eat plenty of fatty foods and avoid fruits and vegetables that contain a lot of fiber if you are a smoker and if you drink alcohol in excessive amounts, if you are overweight and do not exercise regularly, then there is a great chance that your cholesterol level is already high.

But sometimes high cholesterol depends on our genes. About 1 in 500 people have a specific genetic mutation that leads to the accumulation of cholesterol in their blood.

These people suffer from high cholesterol regardless of their lifestyle.

Do You Constantly Have Anxiety, Headaches or Migraines That Cannot Be Explained? It May Be These Light Bulbs!

If you are one of the many who have replaced the old-fashioned standard light bulbs with the new, environmentally-friendly, energy saving light bulbs, we must inform you that you have made a huge mistake, unfortunately.

Apparently, these energy saving light bulbs are extremely toxic and pose serious health risks, so the U.S.

Environmental Protection Agency has laid out an emergency protocol to teach us how to act in the case of a bulb breakage, and prevent the harmful effects of the release of the poison gas.

The findings of a study conducted at the Fraunhofer Wilhelm Klauditz Institute for German’s Federal Environment Agency showed that when they have been broken indoors, the energy-saving light bulbs release 20 times the maximum acceptable mercury concentration into the air.

These light bulbs can cause:

– Anxiety

– Fatigue

– Dizziness

– Migraines

– Cluster headaches

– Seizures

– Inability to concentrate

These light bulbs cause severe health dangers, and these are the three most important things you need to know about them:

1. Energy– saving light bulbs contain mercury, which is a potent neurotoxin that has disastrous effects on pregnant women and children. It is especially toxic to the kidneys, liver, brain, and the nervous system, and damages the immune, cardiovascular, and reproductive systems. The exposure to mercury causes headaches, memory loss, tremors, anxiety, insomnia, cancer and Alzheimer’s.

2. Energy Saving Bulbs Emit a Lot of UV Rays

These lamps release UV-B and traces of UV-C radiation, which damages the eyes and leads to skin cancer. Moreover, this radiation directly attacks the immune system, and damages the skin tissues and thus impedes the proper formation of vitamin D-3.

3. Energy Saving Light Bulbs are Cancer-Linked

Peter Braun at Berlin Germany’s Alab Laboratory conducted a study which revealed that these light bulbs contain 3 known carcinogens, as follows:

– Naphthalene – This is a volatile white crystalline compound, a product of the distillation of coal tar, and is used in mothballs and as a raw material for chemical manufacture.

– Phenol – This mildly acidic toxic white crystalline solid, is also a product from coal tar and is commonly used in chemical manufacture.

– Styrene – This is an unsaturated liquid hydrocarbon, which is obtained as a petroleum byproduct.

Therefore, these are some good reasons to go back to regular incandescent bulbs, aren’t they?

You will undoubtedly prevent dangerous accidents thus, but you should be really careful while doing so, as any breakage will pose extremely serious health risks.

Due to this, the Environmental Protection Agency has created a very detailed protocol which serves to help one deal with the mercury and cancer-linked chemicals in these light bulbs.

In the event of a bulb breakage, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency provides the following emergency procedure guidelines:

Before Cleanup

Your children and pets should leave the room, and you should open a window or a door to air out the room for about 10minutes. You should also shut off the central forced-air heating/air-conditioning system.

You will need the following materials:

– Stiff paper or cardboard

– Damp paper towels or disposable wet wipes

– Sticky tape

– A glass jar with a metal lid or a sealable plastic bag.

During Cleanup

You should collect the broken glass and powder, but do not vacuum, as it might spread mercury-containing powder or mercury vapor. With the stiff paper or cardboard, scoop up the glass fragments and powder, and pick up the smallest remains with the sticky tape.

Then, place it in the glass jar or plastic bag. The cleanup materials should be stored in a sealable container.

After Cleanup

You should air out the room for several hours afterward, with the heating or air conditioning turned off.

Note that you mustn’t leave any bulb pieces or cleanup materials at home. Instead, put all bulb debris and cleanup materials outdoors in a trash container or protected area.

Some localities require citizens to bring the fluorescent bulbs to a local recycling center. If yours does not, dispose of them with the household trash.