Causes of High Blood Cholesterol

Some things make cholesterol go up:

• Eating too much fatty or fried food
• Not exercising enough
• Smoking or using tobacco
• Being overweight

Other health problems and medicines can raise cholesterol, such as:

• Diabetes
• HIV/AIDS
• Problems with your thyroid gland
• Kidney disease
• Medicines for cancer, high blood pressure, or organ transplant

Sometimes, high cholesterol occurs in families. If your family has this problem, you should get checked by a doctor.

Types of Cholesterol

There are two main kinds of cholesterol:

• Good cholesterol (HDL): This helps clean your blood and protects your heart.
• Bad cholesterol (LDL): This causes fat to build up in your arteries and can block blood flow.

Doctors also check something called triglycerides, another type of fat in your blood that can cause heart problems if too high.

Symptoms of High Cholesterol

Most people don’t feel sick or notice anything. Sometimes, if high cholesterol causes heart problems, you may have:

• Chest pain
• Feeling tired or weak
• Shortness of breath
• Yellow skin or eyes
• Grayish circles around the eyes
• Problems with sexual health (in men)

How to Care for Yourself

• Eat more fresh fruits, vegetables, beans, and whole grains.
• Avoid fried and fatty foods.
• Exercise every day, like walking or farming work.
• Don’t smoke or stop if you do.
• Try to keep a healthy weight.
• Drink clean water and avoid too much alcohol.

When to See a doctor

• If you have chest pain or shortness of breath
• If you feel very tired without reason
• If your family has a history of heart problems
• If you have other health problems like diabetes or HIV/AIDS
• If you want to know how to keep your heart healthy

Treatment

Sometimes, doctors give medicines to help lower cholesterol if lifestyle changes are not enough. Always follow your doctor’s advice.

How to Prevent High Cholesterol

• Eat healthy foods from your local markets
• Move your body daily
• Avoid smoking and too much alcohol
• Keep a healthy weight
• Get regular health checkups

Areas for Improvement in Awareness and Care in Sub-Saharan Africa

• Low literacy and health knowledge: Use simple local languages and pictures to teach cholesterol.
• Limited access to healthcare: Increase community screenings and affordable testing.
• Dietary habits: Promote use of traditional healthy foods instead of processed or fried foods.
• Cultural beliefs: Address myths that prevent people from seeking care.
• Medication availability: Improve access to cholesterol-lowering medicines.