Learn about the role of genetics and high cholesterol and how it can impact your health. Discover effective strategies for managing this condition and reducing your risk.Cholesterol can help your body metabolize nutrients and produce healthy structures for your cell membranes, among other benefits. But an excessive amount of cholesterol can cause heart failure and circulatory conditions. Many times, your genetics could play a role in whether or not you could develop high cholesterol, and you may not even be aware of it.

Double board-certified physician Dr. Raj Singh and the staff at HEALOR™ in Las Vegas, NV can help you manage and treat your high cholesterol. We provide support for people who experience high cholesterol levels, including those where the condition is hereditary.

Understanding how family members can experience high cholesterol

The reason why high cholesterol can run in the family comes from familial hypercholesterolemia. This genetic condition involves a person inheriting genes that entail cholesterol levels increasing in the blood. A defective receptor will cause the cholesterol levels in the body to stay elevated. It becomes harder for the body to manage the cholesterol deposits it collects when this happens.

The problem can be concerning, especially since many people with familial hypercholesterolemia will do everything they can to keep their cholesterol levels down. They may exercise and eat healthily, but they often struggle to keep those levels in check. These people often have to use medications to keep their levels under control, but those medications can often cause unwanted or unpleasant side effects in some patients.

Are you going to experience high cholesterol at this point?

While you have a more significant risk of developing high cholesterol if it runs in your family, it doesn’t mean you’re going to experience this concern. You simply have a higher risk, making it more essential to receive the proper care for your cholesterol needs. Dr. Singh and the staff at HEALOR™ in Las Vegas, NV can help you find a suitable management plan that will reduce your potential of having high cholesterol.

What other concerns can occur?

There are many other points that can lead to high cholesterol. An unhealthy lifestyle where you don’t eat right or exercise can be a problem.

You could also experience high cholesterol levels if you have high or uncontrolled blood sugar levels. The added glucose in your body can harm the lining in your arteries, making it easier for fatty deposits to build in these tissues.

People with larger waist circumferences will also be more likely to have high cholesterol. A man with a waist circumference of greater than 40 inches or a woman with a circumference over 35 inches is at a greater risk.

Contact us today for help managing your high cholesterol

You can trust us at HEALOR™ in Las Vegas, NV if you need help handling your high cholesterol concerns, especially if your condition is hereditary. Double board-certified physician Dr. Raj Singh will review your needs and find a smart plan for treatment that will fit your lifestyle. Contact us today to schedule an appointment.

If you're wondering, "How can I lower my cholesterol at home?", then you've come to the right place. We pride ourselves on providing all the treatments and care you need to improve your everyday health and live a long, happy, active life. But we go beyond medical care, offering a personal patient-doctor connection and a relationship that respects your unique personality, needs, and desires.

Our expert team, led by double board-certified physician Dr. Raj Singh, is excited to help you improve your health and reap all the benefits that follow. So, reach out to us today at HEALOR Primary Care, or visit our practice in Las Vegas, NV for a professional consultation!

What is cholesterol?

Cholesterol is a lipid, or fatty substance, made in the liver and supplied through the diet. Like other substances we commonly consume, it’s not inherently bad. And its overall effects depend on many factors, including personal health, medical history, genetics, and, of course, how much we eat. The undeservedly vilified cholesterol also performs many necessary functions throughout the body. It helps create cell membranes, is a precursor to vitamin D, is needed to make certain hormones, and even aids in digestion by supplying the materials to make bile salts.

How does cholesterol affect you?

Cholesterol is transported through your bloodstream inside lipoproteins. Lipoproteins are spherical proteins that wrap around fats (which hate and avoid water), so they can be carried through the (very watery) bloodstream. There are two types of cholesterol-carrying proteins. Low-density lipoproteins (LDL) are the ones termed “bad” cholesterol, while high-density lipoproteins (HDL) are dubbed “good” cholesterol. “Bad” cholesterol is linked with significant health problems. And if you have too much, it accumulates on the walls of blood vessels, hindering blood flow.

The result is an increased risk of cardiac events and strokes. The “good” HDL reduces these risks because it absorbs cholesterol and transports it to the liver, which tosses it from your body. To find out more, or for a personalized cholesterol-busting plan devised by experienced and knowledgeable Dr. Singh, contact us at HEALOR Primary Care as soon as possible.

How to lower your cholesterol in the comfort of your home

Here’s the good news: it’s up to you. The primary treatment for high cholesterol is to make lifestyle changes by focusing on proper dietary choices and being physically active. It’s also important to address lifestyle factors, like stress and smoking, which negatively skew good and bad cholesterol levels. “Eating right” includes staying within the boundaries of your daily caloric intake limit to avoid unhealthy weight gain. It’s also recommended that you limit the consumption of trans and saturated fats. By replacing these with monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, you can lower your level of LDL cholesterol. For those who are overweight, shedding the pounds will reduce health risks and correct related problems, including metabolic syndrome, which encompasses low HDL levels, high triglyceride counts, and the large waist circumference (40+ inches for men, 35+ inches for women) associated with being overweight.

It’s also important to include lots of lean meats, grains, and plants in the diet. In addition to the protein, fiber, and other nutrients offered by a sensible diet, plants are full of phytosterols that could help you decrease your cholesterol levels. In plants, phytosterols act as structural components in the cell membranes. And they’re so similar to cholesterol that they compete with actual cholesterol in your body, blocking it from being absorbed. A phytosterol supplement could help you get the recommended daily amount.

And, of course, dietary changes are always more effective when complemented with physical activity. It’s recommended that you aim for at least 30 minutes of some type of daily exercise or activity in Las Vegas, NV. Medicines such as statins may be necessary if lifestyle changes are not adequate in lowering cholesterol levels. A professional consultation with Dr. Singh can help you choose the right one based on your medical history, current health, and other factors.

Many people also turn to supplements, but it’s essential to seek a professional opinion, as there’s no clear consensus on their efficacy and safety, especially if combined with prescribed medications. Get in touch with us for a personalized plan to slash your cholesterol in Las Vegas, NV

As always, double board-certified physician Dr. Raj Singh and our experienced team would love to help you live a healthier, happier life. So, contact us today at HEALOR™, or visit our practice in Las Vegas, NV, to explore your options.

Cholesterol is a waxy material found in the blood that your body needs to build healthy cells. However, having high levels of cholesterol increases your risk of heart disease. High cholesterol levels cause you to develop fatty deposits in your blood vessels, which make it hard for your blood to flow through your arteries. Sometimes, this will cause them to break suddenly and form a clot that can cause either a heart attack or stroke.

Some people wonder if high cholesterol is based on genetics. While high cholesterol can be inherited, it most often is caused by eating a lot of high cholesterol foods, such as cheese and shellfish. At HEALOR™, Dr. Raj Singh helps his patients in Las Vegas, NV treat high cholesterol. A healthy diet and regular exercise help you reduce your high cholesterol.

What causes high cholesterol?

Cholesterol is carried through your blood, and then it will attach to proteins. This is known as a lipoprotein. There are different types of cholesterol that are based on what the lipoprotein carries, including:

• Low-density lipoprotein (LDL): LDL or "bad" cholesterol transports cholesterol particles in the body. It can build up on the walls of your arteries, which makes them hard and narrow. This makes them more susceptible to breaking.
• High-density lipoprotein (HDL): HDL or "good" cholesterol picks up any excess cholesterol and brings it to the liver so it can be removed from your body.

A lipid profile measures triglycerides, a fat in the blood. Having a high triglyceride level increases your risk of heart disease. There are some factors that you can control to keep your cholesterol low, including living an active life, eating a healthy diet, and maintaining a healthy weight. However, even after doing those things, your genetics may make you more likely to keep cells from removing LDL cholesterol efficiently, leading to high cholesterol.

Diagnosing high cholesterol

At HEALOR™, we use a blood test known as a lipid panel to check cholesterol levels in our patients in Las Vegas, NV. This test will show us your total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, and triglycerides. Dr. Singh recommends you do not eat or drink anything (other than water) for 9 – 12 hours before a blood sample is taken.

Your cholesterol levels are measured in milligrams of cholesterol per deciliter of blood. The ideal total cholesterol levels are below 200 mg/dL. The best levels are below 100 mg/dL for LDL cholesterol and below 70 mg/dL for those that are at risk for diabetes or heart disease. The best HDL cholesterol reading is 60 mg/dL and above.

High cholesterol treatment

If Dr. Singh diagnoses you with high cholesterol after your blood results at HEALOR™, he will make lifestyle change suggestions. However, if you have made these important lifestyle changes and your cholesterol levels remain high, he may recommend medication. Dr. Singh uses statins, bile-acid-binding resins, cholesterol absorption inhibitors, fibrates, niacin, and injectable medications to help treat high cholesterol.

How to lower high cholesterol

The same heart-healthy lifestyle choices that help lower your cholesterol can help you to prevent getting it at all. To help prevent high cholesterol, you should:

• Limit salt and eat fresh fruits, vegetables, and whole grains
• Refrain from eating a lot of animal fat and have good fats in moderation
• Quit smoking
• Exercise for at least 30 minutes at least four days a week
• Drink alcohol in moderation

Learn your cholesterol levels at an annual wellness visit

When you want to know your cholesterol levels, schedule a lipid profile at HEALOR™. Dr. Raj Singh can read your blood test results and diagnose high cholesterol or other manageable diseases that may be affecting your overall health. To schedule this blood test, call our Las Vegas, NV, office today.